BIOMEP 


684 

I  —  •/•! 


6267  b 
1919   ! 


THE  GIFT  OF 

FLORENCE  V.  V.  DICKEY 

TO  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT  LOS  ANGELES 


THE  DONALD  R.  DICKEY 

LIBRARY 
OF  VERTEBRATE  ZOOLOGY 


THE  BIRD  ROOKERIES  OF  THE  TORTUGAS 


BY 


PAUL  BARTSCH 

Curator,  Marine  Invertebrates,  U.  S.  National  Museum 


FROM  THE  SMITHSONIAN  REPORT  FOR  1917,  PAGES  469-500 
(WITH  38  PLATES) 


(PUBLICATION  2512) 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
1919 


P 


THE  BIRD  ROOKERIES  OF  THE  TORTUGAS. 


By  PAUL  BAETSCH, 
Curator,  Marine  Invertebrates,  U.  S.  National  Museum. 


[With  38  plates.] 

Look  at  a  map  of  the  southeastern  United  States  and  you  will  note 
a  string  of  islands  swinging  south,  then  bending  more  and  more 
westward  at  some  little  distance  off  the  peninsula  of  southern  Florida. 
These  are  the  Florida  Keys,  a  part  of  which  in  reality  represents  an 
ancient  barrier  reef  long  since  elevated  above  the  surface  of  the  sea. 
Some  of  these  keys  are  mere  barren  sand  banks,  while  others  are 
clothed  with  tropical  vegetation.  Quite  a  number  of  these  islands 
have  recently  been  joined  by  the  fills  and  viaducts  of  the  over-sea  por- 
tion of  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway  which  connects  Key  West 
with  the  mainland,  and  promises  to  produce  profound  changes  in  the 
topography  of  the  region.  This  chain  of  keys  terminates  in  the  Tor- 
tugas  Atoll,  the  scene  of  our  story,  some  65  statute  miles  west  of 
Key  West. 

The  elevated  portions  of  the  atoll  at  present  are  East,  Middle,  and 
Sand  Key,  of  the  middle  eastern  perimeter ;  Long,  Bush,  Bird,  Garden 
Key  of  the  southwestern  rim ;  and  Loggerhead  Key  on  the  southwes- 
tern border.  Formerly  two  other  keys,  Northeast  Key  and  North 
Key,  of  the  northeastern  edge,  were  conspicuous  elevated  elements 
above  the  sea's  surface,  but  they  have  long  since  been  swept  away 
by  the  waves.  Of  the  existing  keys,  Middle  and  Sand  Key  are  mere 
heaps  of  piled  up  sea  organisms  and  their  fragments,  without  vege- 
tation. Bush  Key  now  appears  as  an  elevated  coral  reef  with  piles 
of  organic  detritus  heaped  up  in  spots,  but  likewise  barren  of  vege- 
tation. East  Key  supports  a  dense  growth  of  Bermuda  grass  on  the 
flattened,  upper  elevated  portion,  with  a  scattered  growth  of  scaevola 
bushes  and  other  plants.  A  somewhat  similar  condition  obtains 
on  the  southern  end  of  Long  Key,  but  the  vegetation  is  less  abundant 
and  more  scattered,  while  the  northern  end  consists  of  a  barren  rim 
of  coral  boulders  that  curves  eastward  and  southward,  to  join  with 
the  reef  fringe  of  Bush  Key.  Garden  Key  is  almost  completely  in- 
closed by  the  walls  of  Fort  Jefferson.  The  portion  outside  of  the 
wall  is  overgrown  with  crab  grass  and  the  long  trailing  vines  of  the 
65133°— SM  1917 31  469 


470  ANNUAL  EEPOBT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

sea  bean  and  the  moon  vine  and  the  goat-foot  morning-glory,  while 
within  the  Avail  several  species  of  palms  and  a  grove  of  buttonwood, 
Cordia  trees  and  ornamental  shrubs  furnish  a  favorite  retreat  to  the 
many  lesser  migratory  birds.  Bird  Key  has  an  almost  dead  fringe 
of  bay  cedars  and  a  few  coconut  palms  near  the  house  and  a  scattered, 
scant  growth  of  cactus  and  grass,  as  well  as  a  few  ornamental  shrubs 
near  the  buildings.  The  largest  of  the  keys  is  Loggerhead  Key,  the 
center  of  which  is  occupied  by  Loggerhead  Light,  a  first-class,  re- 
volving, flashing  beacon  that  projects  a  beam  for  more  than  18 
miles,  and  the  buildings  necessary  to  quarter  the  attendants.  On  the 
west  central  portion  is  a  boat  shed  and  pier,  while  the  east  central 
portion  is  provided  with  another  pier  and  landing  stage.  On  the 
northern  end  of  the  island  the  buildings  of  the  Marine  Biological 
Laboratory  of  the  Carnegie  Institution  are  nestled  in  a  growth  of 
palms,  maritime  pines,  and  flowering  shrubs,  fringed  on  the  sea  side 
by  bay  cedars,  Tournefortias,  and  Bermuda  grass.  Excepting  the 
introduced  palms,  figs  and  other  ornamental  plants  about  the  labora- 
tory and  the  light,  the  most  conspicuous  vegetal  features  of  the  island 
are  the  bay  cedars,  which  practically  girdle,  and  in  many  places  com- 
pletely cross  it.  These  attain  a  height  of  more  than  10  feet.  This 
covering  of  bay  cedars  is  irregularly  interrupted  by  grassy  meadows, 
where  the  short  crab  grass  and  spear  grass  vie  with  the  flat-leaved 
cactus  for  supremacy.  The  scattered  huge  agaves  south  of  the  light- 
house usually  rear  some  flowering  stalks,  which  furnish  a  favorite 
resting  place  for  the  hawks  during  the  migratory  season.  A  Cordia 
grove  occupies  the  east  shore  line  a  little  north  of  the  light,  and 
here  and  there  groups  of  ashy  leaved  Tournefortias  lend  a  funereal 
aspect  to  the  beach.  In  places,  dense  growths  of  Bermuda  grass  oc- 
cur immediately  above  the  reach  of  the  storm  tide  and  wave  their 
abundant,  shimmering  heads  of  seeds  in  a  most  pleasing  manner.  In 
other  regions,  similar  reaches  are  covered  by  a  fuzzy,  brown-topped 
sedge,  while  still  other  places  are  measured  by  the  long  trailing  vines 
of  the  goat-foot  morning-glory  (Ipomaea  pes-caprae) ,  the  moon  vine 
Colony  ction  tuba),  and  the  sea  bean  (Canavali  lineata). 

The  most  interesting  island  of  the  group  is  Bird  Key,  for  of  the 
32,810  birds  listed  for  the  group  in  last  summer's  census,  31,200  center 
about  this  key.  In  the  list  given  below  the  numbers  in  italic  refer 
to  Bird  Key  inhabitants. 

A  numerical  list  of  the  summer  lirds  of  the  Tortugas. 
(Based  upon  observations  made  between  July  1&-31,  1917.) 

Laughing  gull 2 

Royal  tern 24 

,     ( adult  200 

Roseate  tern .. estimated <  0/vr. 

|  young          300 


BIRD  ROOKERIES   OP   TORTUGAS BARTSCH.  471 


Least  tern 

,     \  adult 
estimated     i 

500 

[  young 
estimated    |adult 

500 
1  18,  000 

Black  tern 

[  young 

2   7,200 
24 

,     f  adult 
estimated    ( 

1  4,000 

Booby 

[young 

*   1,600 
3 

Red-footed  booby 

1 

Brown  pelican 

4 

400 

Ward's  heron 

1 

Green  heron 

1 

Least    sandpiper 

20 

Sanderling 

1 

Black-bellied  plover 

6 

Semipalrnated  plover 

2 

Ruddy  turnstone 

20 

Osprey 

1 

32, 810 

These  rookeries  were  first  brought  to  the  attention  of  ornithologists 
by  John  James  Audubon,  who,  in  his  masterful  ornithological  biog- 
raphies, gives  us  an  account  of  a  visit  to  these  keys  in  May,  1832. 
W.  E.  D.  Scott,  in  his  paper  "  On  birds  observed  at  the  Dry  Tor- 
tugas,  Florida,  during  parts  of  March  and  April,  1890," 3  gives  us 
the  first  list  of  birds  noted  in  the  group,  while  Dr.  Joseph  Thomp- 
son, United  States  Navy,  in  1903  described  "The  Tortugas  tern 
colony  "  in  the  fifth  volume  of  Bird  Lore.4 

It  is  safe  to  state  that  the  most  intensive  scrutiny  to  which  a  wild 
bird  colony  has  been  subjected  was  made  upon  the  birds  of  Bird  Key 
by  Dr.  John  B.  Watson,  professor  of  experimental  and  comparative 
psychology  at  the  Johns  Hopkins  University,  and  Dr.  K.  S.  Lashley, 
wrhile  a  Johnston  scholar  in  psychology  at  the  same  institution. 
These  gentlemen  subjected  the  terns  to  exhaustive  psychoanalyses  with 
the  hope  of  throwing  light  on  the  problem  of  the  homing  instinct.  In 
getting  at  the  basic  data  underlying  this  problem  they  found  it 
necessary  to  study  the  various  phases  of  the  activities  displayed  by 
the  birds  in  and  about  the  island.  The  results  of  their  splendid 
efforts  are  embodied  in  a  series  of  papers  from  which  I  shall  take 
the  liberty  to  quote  at  some  length.5  e 

1  Based  upon  Doctor  Watson's  census  of  1908. 

3  An  estimate  admitting  two-fifths  as  many  offspring  as  we  had  parents. 
8  The  Auk,  vol.  7,  pp.  301-314. 

4  Bird  Lore,  vol.  5,  pp.  73-84. 

6 "  The  Behavior  of  Noddy  and  Sooty  Terns,"  John  B.  Watson,  Papers  from  the 
Tortugas  Laboratory  of  the  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington,  vol.  2,  No.  103,  1908, 
pp.  189-255. 

«  "  Homing  and  Related  Activities  of  Birds,"  papers  from  the  Dept.  of  Marine  Biology 
of  the  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington,  vol.  7,  No.  211. 


472  ANNUAL  KEPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1911. 

It  is  the  homing  instinct  of  birds  that  renders  the  Tortugas  the 
most  interesting  group  of  all  the  Florida  Keys,  for  here  no  less  than 
four  species  of  terns  perform  their  housekeeping,  and  two  of  these, 
namely,  the  sooty  and  noddy  tern,  are  not  known  to  breed  in  any 
other  part  of  the  United  States. 

Most  of  our  birds  leave  their  place  of  birth  as  soon  as  they  have 
attained  sufficient  strength  to  roam.  Many  of  them  perform  re- 
markable journeys  in  their  annual  migration  from  the  breeding 
grounds  to  their  winter  home  in  the  fall;  and  when  the  breeding 
season  approaches  and  the  reproductive  instinct  asserts  itself  they  go 
back  to  the  breeding  grounds  in  the  spring. 

The  late  Prof.  W.  W.  Cooke,  has  shown  that  the  golden  plover  and 
the  arctic  tern  dwell  alternately  in  the  Arctic  and  in  the  Antarctic, 
performing  a  journey  of  over  11,000  miles  twice  a  year.  He  has 
pointed  out  that  the  golden  plover  in  one  flight  covers  a  distance  of 
2,400  miles  without  a  stop. 

Unlike  man,  who  seems  ever  ready  to  shift  his  tent  to  where  he 
is  afforded  the  most  favorable  conditions  for  existence,  most  birds 
cling  tenaciously  to  the  immediate  surroundings  in  which  they  were 
cradled  when  it  comes  to  a  selection  of  a  nesting  site. 

This  fact  was  first  demonstrated  by  sea  birds  known  to  breed  on 
certain  islands,  and  on  these  only.  More  recently  it  has  also  been 
shown  that  many  of  the  lesser  birds  cling  equally  persistently  to 
their  nesting  site  and  it  has  been  found  that  some  not  only  seek  the 
same  general  region,  but  the  same  shelf  of  rocks  and  even  the  same 
nest  year  after  year. 

Look  at  a  good  hydrographic  chart  (pi.  1)  and  you  will  note 
that  the  Tortugas,  though  situated  on  the  shallow  continental  shelf, 
are  on  the  extreme  outer  limit  thereof,  away  out  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  removed  from  the  murky  waters  of  the  southward  drift  that 
constitutes  the  coastal  waters  of  the  peninsula,  and  in  a  little  less  de- 
gree that  bathing  the  upper  keys.  Here  we  have  the  clear  water  of 
the  Gulf  Stream  and  the  first  clear  water  shallows  available  for  a 
spawning  ground  to  the  fishes  of  the  Gulf.  The  presence  of  an 
enormous  number  of  small  fish  fry  at  the  proper  season  was,  prob- 
ably more  than  any  other  factor,  the  determining  cause  in  the  selec- 
tion of  this  site  for  the  rookery  by  the  ancestors  of  the  enormous  tern 
colonies  that  breed  here.  It  is  also  quite  possible  that  the  factor  de- 
termining the  time  of  arrival  and  departure  of  the  birds  may  depend 
upon  the  migration  and  spawning  season  of  the  fish  used  by  these 
birds  as  food. 

When  not  on  the  breeding  grounds,  the  noddy  and  sooty  terns 
roam  in  small  groups  over  the  waters  to  the  south  of  our  islands.  I 
have  met  them  on  both  coasts  of  Cuba  and  Haiti,  where  they  can  be 


BIRD  EOOKERIES   OF   TORTUGAS BARTSCH.  473 

seen  fishing  as  they  are  wont  to  do  in  the  Tortugas,  or  resting  on  float- 
ing driftwood,  sand  beaches,  or  low,  rocky  ledges,  but  in  March  or 
April  (the  time  seems  to  vary  in  different  years,  as  shown  by  the 
table  below)  the  homing  instinct  seizes  them  and  they  head  for  their 
favorite  island  of  the  Tortugas  group. 

Table  shmcing  dates  of  arrival  and  departure. 

Data  furnished  by  the  Biological  Survey,  TJ.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  whose  warden  protects  the 
colony  from  eggers.) 


Year. 

Arrival. 

Departure. 

1907 

Apr.  27 

Sept  22 

1909.            

Aug.  15-27. 

1910 

Apr.  27 

1911  

1912 

Apr.U-May6  

Mar.  20 

Aug.  9-Sept.  25. 
Aug  28-Sept  20 

1913 

Apr  8 

Aug  29-Sept  12 

1916                                                                              

Apr.  18    . 

Watson  and  Lashley,  in  speaking  of  the  Bird  Key  rookery,  1915, 

page  61,  say: 

The  terns  breed  in  great  numbers  upon  Bird  Key.  *  *  *  Their  nests,  of 
•which  there  were  more  than  10,000  in  1908,  are  in  many  cases  closely  crowded 
together,  as  many  as  30  sooty  nests  being  found  in  an  area  of  100  square  feet,  and 
the  nests  and  eggs  are  almost  indistinguishable  to  the  human  observer.  Indeed, 
the  island  suggests  a  city  of  10,000  houses,  all  much  alike,  unnumbered,  and  set 
down  at  random,  without  streets  or  definite  landmarks.  The  birds  choose  their 
own  nests,  without  error,  from  among  hundreds  of  similar  ones,  and  under 
normal  conditions  never  show  the  slightest  hesitation  in  making  their  choice. 

I  will  now  consider,  one  by  one,  the  various  species  in  the  order  of 
their  numerical  representation.  I  shall  use  freely  the  data  furnished 
by  Audubon.  Watson,  and  Lashley  in  the  discussion  of  the  various 
forms. 

THE  SOOTY  TERN  (Onychoprion  fuscatus). 

By  far  the  largest  number  of  breeding  birds  on  the  Tortugas  belong 
to  this  species,  of  which  probably  more  than  25,000  are  present  on 
Bird  Key  at  the  close  of  the  breeding  season. 

Our  earliest  record  of  this  colony  was  furnished  by  that  master  of 
ornithological  biography,  John  James  Audubon.1  The  description 
which  he  gives  us  of  the  colony,  based  upon  a  visit  during  the  early 
part  of  the  last  century,  is  extremely  interesting.  The  rareness  and  in- 
accessibility  of  the  volume  demands  a  full  quotation  in  order  that  an 
adequate  comparison  may  be  had  with  the  now  existing  conditions. 
We  therefore  quote  the  following: 

Early  in  the  afternoon  of  the  9th  of  May,  1832,  I  was  standing  on  the  deck  of 
the  United  States  revenue-cutter  the  Marion.  The  weather  was  very  beautiful, 

1  Ornithological  Biography,   vol.   3,   pp.   263-269.     1835. 


474  ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

although  hot,  and  a  favourable  breeze  wafted  us  onwards  in  our  course.  Captain 
Robert  Day,  who  stood  near  me,  on  looking  toward  the  south-west,  ordered  some 
person  to  be  sent  to  the  top  to  watch  the  appearance  of  land.  A  young  lad  was 
instantly  seen  ascending  the  rigging,  and  not  many  minutes  after  he  had  at- 
tained his  post,  we  heard  from  him  the  cry  of  "  land."  It  was  the  low  keys  of 
the  Tortugas,  toward  which  we  had  been  steering.  No  change  was  made  in  the 
course  of  the  "  Lady  of  the  Green  Mantle,"  who  glided  along  as  if  aware  of  the 
knowledge  possessed  by  her  commander.  Now  the  light-house  lantern  appeared 
like  a  bright  gem  glittering  in  the  rays  of  the  sun.  Presently  the  masts  and  flags 
of  several  wreckers  showed  us  that  they  were  anchored  in  the  small  but  safe 
harbour.  We  sailed  on,  and  our  active  pilot,  who  was  also  the  first  lieutenant  of 
the  Marion,  pointed  out  to  me  a  small  island  [Bird  Key]  which  he  said  was  at 
this  season  the  resort  of  thousands  of  birds,  which  he  described  by  calling  them 
"  Black  and  White  Sea  Swallows,"  and  again  another  islet,  [Bush  Key]  equally 
well  stocked  with  another  kind  of  Sea  Swallow,  which  he  added  were  called 
Noddies,  because  they  frequently  alighted  on  the  yards  of  vessels  at  night,  and 
slept  there.  He  assured  me  that  both  species  were  on  their  respective  breeding- 
grounds  by  millions,  that  the  eggs  of  the  first  lay  on  the  sand  under  bushes,  at 
intervals  of  about  a  foot,  while  the  nests  of  the  last  were  placed  as  thickly  on 
the  bushes  of  their  own  chosen  island.  "Before  we  cast  anchor,"  he  added, 
"  you  will  see  them  rise  in  swarms  like  those  of  bees  when  disturbed  in  their 
hive,  and  their  cries  will  deafen  you." 

You  may  easily  imagine  how  anxious  I  was  to  realize  the  picture ;  I  expressed 
a  wish  to  be  landed  on  the  island ;  but  the  kind  officer  replied,  "  My  good  Sir, 
you  will  soon  be  tired  of  their  incessant  noise  and  numbers,  and  will  enjoy  the 
procuring  of  Boobies  much  better."  After  various  tacks,  we  made  our  v,"ay 
through  the  curious  and  extremely  dangerous  channels  leading  to  the  small 
harbour,  where  we  anchored.  As  the  chain  grated  the  ear,  I  saw  a  cloud-like 
mass  arise  over  the  "  Bird  Key "  from  which  we  were  only  a  few  hundred 
yards  distant;  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  yawl  was  carrying  myself  and  my 
assistant  ashore.  On  landing,  I  felt  for  a  moment  as  if  the  birds  would  raise 
me  from  the  ground,  so  thick  were  they  all  round,  and  so  quick  the  motion  of 
their  wings.  Their  cries  were  indeed  deafening,  yet  not  more  than  half  of 
them  took  to  wing  on  our  arrival,  those  which  rose  being  chiefly  male  birds,  as 
we  afterwards  ascertained.  We  ran  across  the  naked  beach,  and  as  we  entered 
the  thick  cover  before  us,  and  spread  in  different  directions,  we  might  at  every 
step  have  caught  a  sitting  bird,  or  one  scrambling  through  the  bushes  to  escape 
from  us.  Some  of  the  sailors,  who  had  more  than  once  been  there  before,  had 
provided  themselves  with  sticks,  with  which  they  knocked  down  the  birds  as 
they  flew  thick  around  and  over  them.  In  less  than  half  an  hour,  more  than 
a  hundred  Terns  lay  dead  in  a  heap,  and  a  number  of  baskets  were  filled  to  the 
brim  with  eggs.  We  then  returned  on  board,  and  declined  disturbing  the  rest 
any  more  that  night.  My  assistant,  Mr.  H.  Ward,  of  London,  skinned  upward 
of  fifty  specimens,  aided  by  Captain  Day's  servant.  The  sailors  told  me  that 
the  birds  were  excellent  eating,  but  on  this  point  I  cannot  say  much  in  corrob- 
oration  of  their  opinion,  although  I  can  safely  recommend  the  eggs,  for  I  con- 
sidered them  delicious,  in  whatever  way  cooked,  and  during  our  stay  at  the 
Tortugas  we  never  passed  a  day  without  providing  ourselves  with  a  good 
quantity  of  them. 

The  next  morning  Mr.  Ward  told  me  that  great  numbers  of  the  Terns  left 
their  island  at  two  o'clock,  flew  off  towards  the  sea,  and  returned  a  little  before 
day,  or  about  four  o'clock.  This  I  afterwards  observed  to  be  regularly  the 
case,  unless  there  happened  to  blow  a  gale,  a  proof  that  this  species  sees  as 
well  during  the  night  as  by  day,  when  they  also  go  to  sea  in  search  of  food 


BIRD  ROOKERIES   OF   TORTTJGAS BARTSCH.  475 

for  themselves  and  their  young.  In  this  respect  they  differ  from  the  Sterna 
stolida,  which,  when  overtaken  at  sea  by  darkness,  even  when  land  is  only  a 
few  miles  distant,  alight  on  the  water,  and  frequently  on  the  yards  of  vessels, 
where  if  undisturbed  they  sleep  until  the  return  of  day.  It  is  from  this  cir- 
cumstance that  they  have  obtained  the  name  of  Noddy,  to  which  in  fact  they 
are  much  better  entitled  than  the  present  species,  which  has  also  been  so 
named,  but  of  which  I  never  observed  any  to  alight  on  a  vessel  in  which  I  was 
for  thirty-five  days  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  at  a  time  when  that  bird  was  as 
abundant  during  the  day  as  the  other  species,  of  which  many  were  caught  at 
my  desire  by  the  sailors. 

The  present  species  rarely  alights  on  the  water,  where  it  seems  incommoded 
by  its  long  tail;  but  the  other,  the  Sterna  stolida,  which,  in  the  shape  of  its 
tail,  and  iii  some  of  its  habits,  shows  an  affinity  to  the  Petrels,  not  only  fre- 
quently alights  on  the  sea,  but  swims  about  on  floating  patches  of  the  Gulf 
Weed,  seizing  on  the  small  fry  and  little  crabs  that  are  found  among  the 
branches  of  that  plant,  or  immediately  beneath  them. 

I  have  often  thought,  since  I  became  acquainted  with  the  habits  of  the  bird 
which  here  occupies  our  attention,  that  it  differs  materially  from  all  the  other 
species  of  the  same  genus  that  occur  on  our  coasts.  The  Sterna  fuliginosa 
never  dives  headlong  and  perpendicularly  as  the  small  species  are  wont  to  do, 
such  as  St.  Mrundo,  St.  arctica,  St.  minuta,  St.  Dougallii,  or  St.  nigra,  but 
passes  over  its  prey  in  a  curved  line,  and  picks  it  up.  Its  action  I  cannot  better 
compare  to  that  of  any  other  bird  than  the  Night  Hawk,  while  plunging  over 
its  female.  I  have  often  observed  this  Tern  follow  and  hover  in  the  wake  of 
a  porpoise,  while  the  latter  was  pursuing  its  prey,  and  at  the  instant  when  by 
a  sudden  dash  it  frightens  and  drives  toward  the  surface  the  fry  around  it,  the 
Tern  as  suddenly  passes  over  the  spot,  and  picks  up  a  small  fish  or  two. 

Nor  is  the  flight  of  this  Tern  characterized  by  the  buoyancy  and  undecided- 
ness,  if  I  may  so  speak,  of  the  other  species  mentioned  above,  it  being  as  firm 
and  steady  as  that  of  the  Cayenne  Tern,  excepting  during  the  movements  per- 
formed in  procuring  its  food.  Like  some  of  the  smaller  gulls,  this  bird  not  un- 
frequently  hovers  close  to  the  water  to  pick  up  floating  objects,  such  as  small 
bits  of  fat  pork  and  greasy  substances  thrown  overboard  purposely  for  making 
the  experiment.  It  is  not  improbable  that  the  habits  peculiar  to  this  species, 
the  Noddy,  and  one  or  two  others,  of  which  I  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  else- 
where, may  tend  to  induce  systematic  writers  to  place  them  in  a  new  "sub- 
genus." 

There  is  a  circumstance  connected  with  the  habits  of  the  two  species  of 
which  I  now  more  particularly  speak,  which,  although  perhaps  somewhat  out 
of  place,  I  can  not  refrain  from  introducing  here.  It  is  that  the  Sterna  stolida 
alumys  forms  a  nest  on  trees  or  bushes,  on  which  that  bird  alights  with  as 
much  ease  as  a  Crow  or  Thrush ;  whereas  the  Sterna  fuliffinosa  never  forms  a 
nest  of  any  sort,  but  deposits  its  eggs  in  a  slight  cavity  which  it  scoops  in  the 
sand  under  the  trees.  But,  reader,  let  us  return  to  the  Bird  Key. 

Early  the  next  morning  I  was  put  on  shore,  and  remained  there  until  I  had 
•completed  my  observations  on  the  Terns.  I  paid  no  attention  to  their  lament- 
able cries,  which  were  the  less  piercing  that  on  this  occasion  I  did  not  molest 
them  in  the  least.  Having  seated  myself  on  the  shelly  sand,  which  here 
formed  the  only  soil,  I  remained  almost  motionless  for  several  hours,  in  con- 
sequence of  which  the  birds  alighted  about  me,  at  the  distance  of  only  a  few 
yards,  so  that  I  could  plainly  see  with  what  efforts  and  pains  the  younger 
females  deposited  their  eggs.  Their  bill  was  open,  and  their  pantings  indicated 
their  distress,  but  after  the  egg  had  been  expelled,  they  immediately  walked 
off  in  an  awkward  manner,  until  they  reached  a  place  where  they  could  arise 


476  ANNUAL  REPOET  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

without  striking  the  branches  of  the  bushes  near  them,  when  they  flew  away. 
Here  and  there,  in  numerous  places  within  twenty  yards  of  me,  females,  hav- 
ing their  complement  of  eggs,  alighted,  and  quietly  commenced  the  labour  of 
incubation.  Now  and  then  a  male  bird  also  settled  close  by,  and  immediately 
disgorged  a  small  fish  within  the  reach  of  the  female.  After  some  curious 
reciprocal  nods  of  their  heads,  which  were  doubtless  intended  as  marks  of 
affection,  the  caterer  would  fly  off.  Several  individuals,  which  had  not  com- 
menced laying  their  eggs,  I  saw  scratch  the  sand  with  their  feet,  in  the  manner 
of  the  common  fowl,  while  searching  for  food.  In  the  course  of  this  operation, 
they  frequently  seated  themselves  in  the  shallow  basin  to  try  how  it  fitted 
their  form,  or  find  out  what  was  still  wanted  to  ensure  their  comfort.  Not  the 
least  semblance  of  a  quarrel  did  I  observe  between  any  two  of  these  interesting 
creatures ;  indeed,  they  all  appeared  as  if  happy  members  of  a  single  family ; 
and  as  if  to  gratify  my  utmost  wishes,  a  few  of  them  went  through  the  process 
of  courtship  in  my  presence.  The  male  birds  frequently  threw  their  heads  over 
their  back  as  it  were,  in  the  manner  of  several  species  of  gulls;  they  also 
swelled  out  their  throats,  walked  round  the  females,  and  ended  by  uttering  a 
soft  puffing  sound  as  they  caressed  them.  Then  the  pair  for  a  moment  or  two 
walked  round  each  other,  and  at  length  rose  on  wing  and  soon  disappeared. 
Such  is  one  of  the  many  sights  it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  witness,  and  by 
each  of  them  have  I  been  deeply  impressed  with  a  sense  of  the  pervading  power 
of  the  Deity. 

The  Sooty  Tern  always  lays  three  eggs  as  its  full  number,  and  in  no  instance. 
among  thousands  of  the  nests  which  were  on  the  Bird  Key,  did  I  find  one  more 
when  the  female  was  sitting  close.  I  was  desirous  of  ascertaining  whether  the 
male  and  the  female  incubate  alternately ;  but  this  I  was  unable  to  do,  as  the 
birds  frequently  left  their  eggs  for  half  an  hour  or  even  three-quarters  at  a 
time,  but  rarely  longer.  This  circumstance,  together  with  the  very  slight 
difference  in  size  and  colour  between  the  sexes,  was  the  cause  of  my  failure. 

It  was  curious  to  observe  their  actions  whenever  a  large  party  landed  on  the 
island.  All  those  not  engaged  in  incubation  would  immediately  rise  in  the 
air  and  scream  aloud ;  those  on  the  ground  would  then  join  them  as  quickly 
as  they  could,  and  the  whole  forming  a  vast  mass,  with  a  broad  extended  front, 
would  as  it  were  charge  us,  pass  over  for  fifty  yards  or  so,  then  suddenly  wheel 
round,  and  again  renew  their  attack.  This  they  would  repeat  six  or  eight  times 
in  succession.  When  the  sailors,  at  our  desire,  all  shouted  as  loud  as  they 
could,  the  phalanx  would  for  an  instant  become  perfectly  silent,  as  if  to 
gather  our  meaning;  but  the  next  moment,  like  a  huge  wave  breaking  on  the 
beach,  it  would  rush  forward  with  deafening  noise. 

When  wounded  and  seized  by  the  hand,  this  bird  bites  severely,  and  utters 
a  plaintive  cry  differing  from  its  usual  note,  which  is  loud  and  shrill,  resem- 
bling the  syllables  oo-ee,  oo-ee.  Their  nests  are  all  scooped  near  the  roots  or 
stems  of  the  bushes,  and  under  the  shade  of  their  boughs,  in  many  places  within 
a  few  inches  of  each  other.  There  is  less  difference  between  their  eggs,  than  is 
commonly  seen  in  those  of  water  birds,  both  with  respect  to  size  and  colouring. 
They  generally  measure  two  inches  and  one-eighth,  by  one  and  a  half,  have  a 
smooth  shell,  with  the  ground  of  a  pale  cream  colour,  sparingly  marked  with 
various  tinges  of  lightish  umber,  and  still  lighter  marks  of  purple,  which  appear 
as  if  within  the  shell.  The  Lieutenant,  N.  Lucoste,  Esq.,  informed  me  that 
shortly  after  the  young  are  hatched,  they  ramble  pell-mell  over  the  island,  to 
meet  their  parents,  and  be  fed  by  them ;  that  these  birds  have  been  known  to 
collect  there  for  the  purpose  of  breeding,  since  the  oldest  wreckers  on  that  coast 
can  recollect;  and  that  they  usually  arrive  in  May,  and  remain  until  the 
beginning  of  August,  when  they  retire  southward  to  spend  the  winter  months. 


BIRD  ROOKERIES  OF   TORTUGAS BARTSCH.  477 

I  could  not  however  obtain  a  sufficiently  accurate  description  of  the  different 
states  of  plumage  which  they  go  through,  so  as  to  enable  me  to  describe  them 
in  the  manner  I  should  wish  to  do.  All  that  I  can  say  is,  that  before  they 
take  their  departure,  the  young  are  grayish-brown  above,  dull  white  beneath, 
and  have  the  tail  very  short. 

At  Bird  Key  we  found  a  party  of  Spanish  Eggers  from  Havannah.  They 
had  already  laid  in  a  cargo  of  about  eight  tons  of  the  eggs  of  this  Tern  and  the 
Noddy.  On  asking  them  how  many  they  supposed  they  had,  they  answered 
that  they  never  counted  them,  even  while  selling  them,  but  disposed  of  them  at 
seventy-five  cents  per  gallon ;  and  that  one  turn  to  market  sometimes  produced 
upwards  of  two  hundred  dollars,  while  it  took  only  a  week  to  sail  backwards 
and  forwards  and  collect  their  cargo.  Some  eggers,  who  now  and  then  come 
from  Key  West,  sell  their  eggs  at  twelve  and  a  half  cents  the  dozen ;  but  where- 
ever  these  eggs  are  carried,  they  must  soon  be  disposed  of  and  eaten,  for  they 
become  putrid  in  a  few  weeks. 

On  referring  to  my  journal  once  more,  I  find  the  following  remarks  with 
reference  to  the  Sooty  Tern.  It  would  appear  that  at  some  period  not  very 
remote,  the  Noddy,  Sterna  stolida,  must  have  had  it  in  contemplation  to  ap- 
propriate to  itself  its  neighbour's  domains;  as  on  examination  of  this  island, 
several  thousand  nests  of  that  bird  were  found  built  on  the  tops  of  the  bushes, 
although  no  birds  of  the  species  were  about  them.  It  is  therefore  probable  that 
if  such  an  attempt  was  made  by  them,  they  were  defeated  and  forced  to  con- 
fine themselves  to  the  neighbouring  island,  where  they  breed  by  themselves, 
although  it  is  only  a  few  miles  distant.  That  such  interferences  and  conflicts 
now  and  then  occur  among  different  species  of  birds,  has  often  been  observed 
by  other  persons,  and  in  several  instances  by  myself,  particularly  among 
Herons.  In  these  cases,  right  or  wrong,  the  stronger  party  never  fails  to  di^- 
lodge  the  weaker,  and  keep  possession  of  the  disputed  ground. 

Soon  after  the  birds  arrive  on  the  island  a  nesting  site  is  sought^ 
Dr.  Watson  gives  a  most  graphic  account  of  this.  I  shall  thereforp 
let  him  speak. 

My  observations  began  late  one  afternoon,  before  any  eggs  had  been  laiiL 
Hundreds  of  the  birds  were  grouped  together,  incessantly  fighting  and  screaii)- 
ing.  It  quickly  became  apparent  that  most  of  them  had  chosen  a  nest  site  and 
were  defending  it  against  all  late  comers.  Both  male  and  female  were  present. 
Each  pair  in  this  particular  locality  defended  a  circular  territory,  roughly  14 
inches  to  2  feet  in  diameter.  Other  birds  in  wandering  around  would  stumble 
into  this  sacred  territory  and  a  fight  would  ensue.  The  fights  would  often  lead 
to  encroachments  upon  the  territory  of  still  other  birds.  The  number  of  those 
fighting  would  thus  be  constantly  increased.  I  have  seen  as  many  as  14  sooties 
thus  engaging  in  a  fight.  Birds  10  and  15  feet  away  would  rush  into  the  fight 
and  the  noise  and  confusion  beggared  description.  Sometimes  as  many  as  10 
or  15  such  fighting  groups  could  be  observed  in  the  area  of  1,000  square  feet. 
Quiet  would  momentarily  ensue  and  then  be  broken  by  another  series  of  fight*. 
During  the  choice  of  the  nesting  site  the  fights  continue  day  and  night,  with 
only  intermittent  periods  of  quiet. 

Of  the  actual  nest  construction  he  tells  the  following: 

The  actual  construction  of  the  nest,  when  a  nest  structure  is  formed,  begins 
after  an  undefended  area  has  been  found.  The  process  of  nest  building  is  some- 
what as  follows :  The  bird  puts  the  breast  to  the  ground,  thereby  supporting 
the  body  and  leaving  the  legs  comparatively  free.  The  feet  are  used  as  a  com- 


478  ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

bined  scraper  and  shovel.  A  few  backward  strokes  of  the  feet  are  made,  which 
serve  both  to  loosen  the  sand  and  to  remove  it  from  beneath  the  body.  The 
bird  then  turns  slightly  and  repeats  the  process.  When  it  has  turned  3GO°  (or 
less)  it  begins  to  use  the  breast  as  a  shaper.  By  continuing  this  process,  the 
depression  is  soon  made  to  assume  the  required  diameter  and  depth.  My  notes 
show  that  the  bay  cedar  leaves  are  often  gathered  up  and  placed  around  the 
rim  of  the  nest  as  the  hole  is  being  dug.  I  can  not  say  which  sex  does  the  work, 
but  I  believe  that  both  male  and  female  engage  in  it.  As  soon  as  the  depres- 
sion is  made,  both  birds  begin  to  defend  it.  Naturally,  where  no  nest  is  made, 
the  nest  site  alone  is  chosen  and  defended  as  described  above. 

An  approximate  count  of  the  total  number  of  the  sooty  nests  was  made  in 
1908  in  the  following  way :  Those  parts  of  the  surface  of  the  island  containing 
nests  were  subdivided  into  10  separate  areas.  The  number  of  square  feet  in 
each  area  was  next  determined.  The  average  number  of  nests  (spots  where 
eggs  were  deposited)  per  square  foot  was  then  determined  separately  for 
each  area.  By  means  of  these  data,  the  total  (approximate)  number  of  nests 
on  the  island  was  found  to  be  9.429.  Multiplying  by  two,  as  in  the  previous 
case,  we  have  18,858  as  the  total  number  of  adult  sooties.  It  may  be  said  that 
the  above  determination  was  made  late  in  the  brooding  season,  after  all  the  eggs 
had  been  laid.  It  may  also  be  of  interest  to  note  that  in  localities  where  the 
nests  are  very  numerous  they  often  are  not  more  than  10  to  12  inches  apart. 

Plates  5,  6,  8  show  the  disposition  of  the  nests,  for  each  bird  in 
the  picture  is  occupying  his  home. 

The  sooty  usually  lays  but  one  egg,  though  occasionally  two  are 
deposited.  Watson  found  only  25  nests  containing  more  than  one 
egg  in  all  the  thousands  examined  and  but  a  single  one  in  which  two 
birds  were  actually  hatched  and  reared.  On  plate  8  are  figured  five 
eggs  selected  to  show  the  greatest  range  of  color  variation  observed, 
for  although  the  general  type  of  coloration  is  very  similar,  a  con- 
siderable diversity  is  found  to  be  present  when  one  actually  searches 
for  variations  from  the  typical  form  which  is  represented  by  the 
figure. 

Watson  gives  us  an  intimate  picture  of  the  changes  that  take  place 
in  the  habits  of  the  adult  bird  during  the  various  stages  of  the 
cycle  that  begins  with  nest  building  and  probably  ends  with  the 
birds  leaving  the  island.  He  has  with  infinite  patience  worked  out 
the  daily  life  routine,  with  all  of  its  vicissitudes,  of  the  young  bird 
from  the  time  it  breaks  from  the  shell  until  it  finds  its  wings.  I  shall 
therefore  let  him  speak. 

The  general  disposition  of  the  sooty,  like  that  of  the  noddy,  changes  after  the 
egg  is  laid  and  in  the  same  way.  Some  of  them  become  far  bolder  than  the 
noddies  in  a  corresponding  situation.  It  was  possible  for  me  to  lie  down  within 
a  few  inches  of  a  brooding  sooty  and  have  it  remain  on  the  nest  indefinitely. 
If  the  hand  is  extended  toward  the  sooty  it  will  attack  vigorously,  but  I 
have  never  had  a  group  of  flying  sooties  attack  me  as  I  approached  the  vicinity 
of  their  nests,  as  was  sometimes  the  case  when  I  ventured  too  near  the  nests 
of  the  noddies.  The  birds  are  very  variable  in  this  respect.  When  one  ap- 
proaches a  neighborhood  containing  many  nests,  the  majority  of  the  birds  will 
fly  up  into  the  air,  circling  round  and  round,  screaming  all  the  while.  If  one 
remains  quiet,  the  birds  will  gradually  return  and  cover  the  eggs.  Gradually 


BIRD  ROOKERIES   OF   TORTTTGAS BARTSCH^  479 

the  nests  nearest  one's  position  will  be  cautiously  approached  and  then  occupied. 
A  certain  snian  percentage  of  the  birds  will  remain  on  the  nest,  no  matter  how 
violent  the  disturbance. 

It  appears  *  *  *  that  the  shift  at  the  nest  is  roughly  a  diurnal  one,  but 
that  at  times  it  may  not  occur  except  once  in  48  hours.  *  *  *  Apparently 
most  of  the  shifts  are  made  at  night.  I  attempted  on  many  occasions  to  deter- 
mine the  hour  of  shifting  by  leaving  a  lantern  near  the  nest  and  making  ob- 
servations during  the  night,  but  the  light  could  not  be  arranged  so  as  not  to 
frighten  the  birds,  and  their  reactions  consequently  were  not  natural.  The 
birds  would  refuse  to  cover  their  eggs  if  the  light  were  made  intense  enough 
to  be  of  value  to  me. 

Watson  tells  us  that  observation  on  16  marked  nests  proved  that 
the  period  of  incubation  for  the  sooty  is  26  days.  We  continue  to 
quote  from  him : 

During  the  first  three  days  after  the  appearance  of  the  young,  the  sooty  is 
reluctant  to  leave  the  young  and  nest  on  disturbance.  Later  the  adults  fly 
away  at  the  slightest  disturbance,  much  as  they  do  during  the  "  laying "  sea- 
son. It  is  interesting  to  observe  at  every  disturbance  of  a  nesting  place  how 
quickly  the  ground  will  be  deserted  by  both  young  and  old,  after  the  young- 
have  reached  the  age  of  3  days.  As  they  leave,  the  alarm  cry  is  sounded  and 
the  commotion  spreads  to  all  the  near-by  nests.  When  quiet  is  restored  the 
birds  again  alight  near  the  nest  and  gradually  approach  it  The  young  birds 
meantime  have  run  to  the  bushes,  where  they  remain  motionless  after  sticking, 
their  heads  into  the  crotch  of  some  bush  or  depressing  the  body  against  any 
convenient  solid  object.  The  protective  coloring  of  the  young  sooties  is  marked. 
When  motionless,  as  above  suggested,  they  are  difficult  to  find.  When  the  adult 
returns  to  the  nest,  the  young  birds  gradually  come  from  their  hiding  places 
at  the  peculiar  clucking  call  of  the  parent.  The  parents  (after  the  first  few 
days)  recognize  their  own  offspring  with  ease  and  accuracy,  often  going  to- 
meet  them  as  they  emerge  from  the  bushes.  *  *  * 

The  adult  would  circle  over  the  area  and  give  a  call;  it  would  be  an- 
swered and  random  movements  would  give  place  to  direct.  The  bird  would 
steer  immediately  for  the  source  of  the  call.  By  peculiar  chuckling  sounds,, 
which  are  emitted  at  this  period  when  mates  return,  one  can  be  sure  that  the- 
proper  nest  has  been  located.  I  observed  this  many  times  during  one  evening. 
After  the  young  were  20  to  30  days  old  I  have  heard  the  young  birds  answer  the- 
call  of  the  parent  back  and  forth  a  dozen  times  before  the  latter  actually 
alighted. 

Neither  young  nor  old  is  quiet  during  this  period  of  the  nesting  season.  Qa 
the  contrary,  the  noise  is  practically  doubled.  In  addition  to  the  ordinary 
sounds  made  by  the  adults  and  the  new  cries  which  are  added  at  this  timo,  there 
is  present  the  high-pitched,  insistent  "peep-peep"  of  the  young  terns.  Mo- 
mentarily the  sounds  of  the  adults  will  cease  and  the  cries  of  the  little  ones 
remind  one  very  strongly  of  a  poultry  yard  on  a  tremendous  scale. 

Though  the  parents  feed  the  young  at  any  hour  of  the  day,  feeding  can  be 
most  easily  observed  at  dusk.  It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  the  sooties 
hurry  home  at  nightfall  in  great  numbers.  From  4  until  8  p.  m.  this  feeding 
process  keeps  the  island  in  commotion.  The  feeding  of  the  young  birds  has- 
many  interested  spectators.  While  I  have  never  seen  the  terns  from  the  neigh- 
boring nests,  which  may  be  observing  the  process,  attempt  to  rob  the  young  bird,  I 
judge  from  the  actions  of  the  feeding  parent  that  such  is  occasionally  the  case. 
If  the  parent  happens  to  disgorge  more  than  the  young  tern  can  take  into  its 


480  ANNUAL  EEPOET  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

beak  and  the  food  is  allowed  to  fall  to  the  ground,  it  is  ludicrous  to  watch  the 
rapidity  with  which  the  parent  picks  up  the  food  and  reswallows  it.  Often- 
times the  mate  of  the  feeding  parent  is  near ;  its  role  is  a  purely  passive  one 
except  when  the  "  spectators  "  attempt  to  approach  too  near.  Its  part  is  then  to 
assist  in  warding  them  off.  *  *  * 

The  parents  alternately  feed  the  young,  but  instead  of  a  diurnal  period  of 
feeding,  such  as  the  parents  have  before  the  appearance  of  the  young,  the  inter- 
vals vary  anywhere  from  four  to  seven  hours.  *  *  * 

The  care  of  the  young,  especially  from  20  days  on,  must  be  an  exhausting 
process  for  the  parents.  They  become  emaciated  and  somewhat  bedraggled 
in  appearance.  This  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  when  we  consider  that  a  healthy 
young  sooty  can  eat  anywhere  from  20  to  40  minnows  of  no  insignificant  size 
in  a  day.  It  may  be  of  general  interest  to  note  that  after  the  first  few  days 
the  parent  always  recognizes  and  feeds  its  own  young  and  no  others,  and  fur- 
thermore, the  young  tern  recognizes  its  own  parents  and  attempts  to  feed  only 
from  them.  Never  but  once  out  of  many  thousands  of  observations  did  I  see  a 
young  tern  begging  food  from  a  stranger. 

Watson  and  Lashley  have  shown  conclusively  by  a  large  series  of 
experiments  that  the  sooty  tern  seems  to  entertain  man's  legal  aspect 
of  property  rights. 

Many  attempts  were  made  to  shift  nests  to  the  edge  of  the  beach  with  the 
purpose  of  transferring  them  to  rafts  in  the  hope  of  ultimately  transplanting  a 
part  of  the  colony  to  other  keys,  but  however  slowly  such  shifts  were  made 
(6  inches  or  so  per  day)  the  nests  were  either  abandoned  when  moved  4  feet 
or  less  from  their  original  position,  or  the  eggs  were  rolled  back  as  fast  as  they 
could  be  moved  forward. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  vertical  elevation  of  the  nest  to  a  considerable 
height  did  not  cause  its  abandonment,  as  shown  by  the  following 
experiment  made  by  Watson: 

A  nest  was  chosen  in  an  open  space,  but  very  close  to  some  bushes.  I  ob- 
literated the  nest  as  the  bird  had  constructed  it,  inserted  a  black  pan,  filled 
this  with  sand,  and  constructed  a  nest  inside  of  it.  This  gave  me  an  oppor- 
tunity to  move  the  nest  upward  as  well  as  laterally.  On  returning,  the  bird 
alighted  on  the  nest  without  showing  any  signs  of  disturbance.  An  hour  later 
'  I  came  back  and  pulled  the  pan  out  of  the  sand  and  put  a  few  sticks  under  it. 
The  bird  returned,  but  was  not  disturbed  by  this  slight  change.  I  then  drove 
in  four  stakes  10  centimeters  high  and  mounted  the  pan  thereon.  This  served 
to  raise  the  nest  upward  without  disturbing  the  other  relations  of  the  nest. 
The  bird  on  returning  alighted  immediately  on  nest.  The  other  birds  gathered 
around,  craning  their  necks  and  peering  upward.  The  bird  then  stood  up  and 
came  to  the  edge  of  the  pan  and  peered  down.  This  seemed  to  disturb  it  and 
it  flew  to  the  ground,  but  hopped  up  again  immediately,  covered  the  egg  and 
sat  there  in  comfort  the  rest  of  the  day.  Raising  the  nest  10  centimeters  in 
the  air  requires  almost  no  adjustment  on  the  part  of  the  bird.  On  account 
of  a  storm  on  the  island,  which  lasted  for  two  days,  no  further  experiments 
were  made  at  this  time  on  this  nest.  I  next  raised  this  nest  100  centimeters; 
bird  alighted  immediately  squarely  on  the  top  of  the  nest;  did  not  make  a  false 
movement.  On  craning  neck  over  the  edge  of  the  pan  a  little  later,  however, 
became  disturbed  and  alighted  on  the  ground,  and  remained  there  for  45  min- 
utes without  attempting  again  to  get  on  nest.  I  forced  the  bird  to  fly  up.  Agaiu 


BIRD  ROOKERIES  OF  TORTTJGAS — BARTSCH.  481 

alighted  on  the  nest  and  began  to  brood  the  egg  in  comfort.  On  my  return 
several  hours  later  it  was  still  sitting  quietly  on  nest. 

On  the  second  day  after  this  (when  this  same  bird  was  at  the  nest  again) 
I  lowered  the  nest  back  to  10  centimeters,  its  first  vertical  position.  On  return- 
ing the  bird  alighted  squarely  on  the  nest,  making  perfect  adjustment.  I 
scared  the  bird  away.  On  its  return  the  bird  again  adjusted  accurately.  I 
next  moved  the  nest  back  to  the  height  of  100  centimeters.  Bird  returned  and 
alighted  on  egg  and  adjusted  to  it  before  I  could  get  back  to  my  position  in 
the  bushes.  Adjustment  in  the  vertical  plane  is  made  with  exceeding  rapidity 
and  ease. 

I  then  moved  the  nest  100  centimeters  to  the  east,  leaving  it  100  centimeters 
above  the  ground.  Behavior  of  bird  very  interesting.  Would  not  alight  on 
nest.  Alighted  at  the  former  ground  position.  After  a  long  time  flew  from 
the  old  position  and  up  to  new  position  of  nest.  Immediately  hopped  down 
and  began  a  most  peculiar  performance.  Bird  would  hover  in  space,  attempting 
to  adjust  to  the  nest  in  the  air  at  its  former  position  and  height.  It  would 
then  fly  away  again  and  come  back  to  the  old  position  and  try  to  alight  in 
space.  This  was  done  20  times.  At  the  end  of  20  minutes  the  bird  alighted 
upon  the  pan  in  its  new  position  and  sat  down  on  egg.  I  then  scared  the  bird 
away  5  successive  times,  to  see  if  it  would  alight  immediately  upon  the  pan. 
Each  time  on  returning  the  bird  alighted  at  the  old  ground  position  and  pro- 
ceeded from  this  point  to  the  new  position  of  the  nest. 

I  then  put  the  pan  back  in  its  old  position.  Bird  returned  and  alighted  on 
pan  immediately.  In  this  position  I  then  raised  the  pan  to  a  height  of  200 
centimeters.  This  raised  the  nest  well  up  above  any  of  the  surrounding  bushes. 
This  did  not  cause  the  bird  the  slightest  disturbance.  I  forced  it  to  make 
three  or  four  adjustments  to  the  nest  in  immediate  succession.  It  made  them 
all  with  equal  precision. 

Watson  tells  us  that  the  habit  which  he  has  called  the  sunning 
reaction  in  the  noddies,  while  present  to  some  extent  before  the 
appearance  of  the  young,  shows  itself  in  completed  form  as  the 
development  of  the  young  progresses.  He  also  states  that  he  has 
never  seen  sooties  roosting  upon  stakes  and  buoys,  etc.,  but  that  "  the 
sooty  always  leaves  the  island  and  returns  to  it  without  at  any  time 
having  ceased  its  flight.  This  seems  rather  remarkable  when  we 
take  into  account  the  fact  that  the  sooty  leaves  the  island  in  the 
early  morning  and  oftentimes  does  not  return  until  toward  night- 
fall." 

At  times,  however,  they  do  rest  in  elevated  positions,  as  shown  in 
plate  4,  in  which  a  group  of  sooties  is  occupying  the  tops  of  a  bunch 
of  bay  cedars. 

When  flying  low  over  the  water  to  the  fishing  ground  the  sooty 
resembles  the  black  skimmer  in  its  flight  to  such  a  remarkable  degree 
that  I  have  very  often  been  forced  to  pick  up  my  glass  in  the  hope 
of  listing  this  bird  for  the  Tortugas  region.  The  fishing  is  done  by 
quickly  picking  up  such  small  fry  as  may  be  forced  to  jump  above 
the  surface  by  pursuing  larger  fish.  The  birds  may  be  seen  fishing 
singly  or  sometimes  a  hundred  or  more  of  both  noddies  and  sooties 


482  ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

may  be  present.    The  number  usually  depends  upon  the  size  of  the 
harassed  school  of  fish. 

As  to  the  nocturnal  activities  of  the  birds,  Watson  states : 

From  other  observations,  too  numerous  to  mention  separately,  I  conclude 
that  all  birds  return  to  the  island  at  night.  Many  times  just  at  sundown  I 
have  come  from  Loggerhead  Key  to  Bird  Key.  The  terns  are  coming  in  by 
hundreds  and  thousands,  flying  low  over  the  water.  By  the  time  twilight  lias 
faded  the  water  is  entirely  deserted.  Several  trips  made  to  Fort  Jefferson 
late  at  night  showed  that  these  birds  do  not  leave  the  island  at  night.  The 
moment  the  island  is  reached,  however,  no  matter  at  what  hour  of  the  night, 
one  finds  the  sooties  busily  flying  from  one  place  to  another  on  it. 

An  interesting  pastime  of  the  sooties  is  described  by  Watson. 

The  sooties  often  soar  round  and  round,  getting  higher  and  higher  until  lost 
to  sight.  They  usually  join  the  frigate  birds  in  this  reaction.  I  am  inclined 
to  think  that  the  sooty  when  sufficiently  fed  spends  a  large  part  of  its  time  in 
such  maneuvers. 

It  will  circle  in  the  air  again  and  again,  giving  out  the  shrill  nasal  alarm 
cry  of  eah,  (Jah,  6ah.  It  is  the  most  restless  and  noisy  bird  I  know,  and  almost 
as  much  so  at  night  as  during  the  day.  Sleep  apparently  is  taken  during  both 
day  and  night  by  dozing  momentarily  at  intervals.  How  the  bird  maintains 
its  vigor  with  no  more  continuous  rest  than  it  takes  is  a  mystery.  This  pe- 
culiarity of  the  sooty  has  led  to  the  popular  nickname  of  "  wide-awake  tern." 

THE  NODDY  TERN   (Anoiis  stolidus). 

Here,  as  in  the  case  of  the  sooty  tern,  we  are  indebted  to  Audubon 
for  the  first  account  of  this  colony.  I  shall  quote  what  he  has  to  tell 
us  of  his  experience  with  these  birds  on  the  Tortugas  in  1832.  This 
sketch  is  the  more  interesting  on  account  of  the  fact  that  the  birds  no 
longer  breed  upon  the  key  (Bush  Key)  on  which  he  found  them  nest- 
ing, as  all  the  vegetation,  in  fact,  most  everything  shiftable  above  the 
sea,  has  long  since  been  swept  away  by  the  waves.  His  reference  to 
noddy  nests  on  Bird  Key  mentioned  in  his  sooty  tern  biography 
shows  that  noddies  had  built  nests  in  the  bay  cedars  of  that  key, 
although  he  states  that  they  were  not  occupied  at  the  time  of  his  visit. 
Since  then  the  colony  has  been  forced  to  make  a  complete  shift  and 
the  choice  between  Bird  and  Loggerhead  Key  has  fallen  to  the 
former,  where  Watson  estimated  the  presence  of  1,400  adult  birds  in 
1908.  We  shall  now  quote  from  Audubon. 

About  the  beginning  of  May,  the  Noddies  collect  from  all  parts  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  and  the  coasts  of  Florida,  for  the  purpose  of  returning  to  their 
breeding  places,  on  one  of  the  Tortugas  called  Noddy  Key.  They  nearly  equal 
in  number  the  Sooty  Terns,  which  also  breed  on  an  island  a  few  miles  distant. 
The  Noddies  form  regular  nests  of  twigs  and  dry  grass,  which  they  place  on 
the  bushes  or  low  trees,  but  never  on  the  ground.  On  visiting  their  island  on 
the  llth  of  May,  1832,  I  was  surprised  to  see  that  many  of  them  were  repair- 
.  ing  and  augmenting  nests  that  had  remained  through  the  winter,  while  others 
were  employed  in  constructing  new  ones,  and  some  were  already  sitting  on  their 


BIRD  EOOKERIES  OF   TORTUGAS BARTSCH.  483 

eggs.  In  a  great  many  instances,  the  repaired  nests  formed  masses  nearly  two 
feet  in  height,  and  yet  all  of  them  had  only  a  slight  hollow  for  the  eggs,  broken 
shells  of  which  were  found  among  the  entire  ones,  as  if  they  had  been  pur- 
posely placed  there.  The  birds  did  not  discontinue  their  labours,  although  there 
were  nine  or  ten  of  us  walking  among  the  bushes,  and  when  we  had  gone  a 
few  yards  into  the  thicket,  thousands  of  them  flew  quite  low  over  us,  some  at 
times  coming  so  close  as  to  enable  us  to  catch  a  few  of  them  with  the  hand. 
On  one  side  might  be  seen  a  Noddy  carrying  a  stick  in  its  bill,  or  a  bird  pick- 
ing up  something  from  the  ground  to  add  to  its  nest ;  on  the  other  several  were 
seen  sitting  on  their  eggs  unconscious  of  danger,  while  their  mates  brought  them 
food.  The  greater  part  rose  on  wing  as  we  advanced,  but  re-alighted  as  soon 
as  we  had  passed.  The  bushes  were  rarely  taller  than  ourselves,  so  that  we 
could  easily  see  the  eggs  in  the  nests.  This  was  quite  a  new  sight  to  me,  and  not 
less  pleasing  than  unexpected. 

The  Noddy,  like  most  other  species  of  Terns,  lays  three  eggs,  which  average 
two  inches  in  length,  by  an  inch  and  three-eighths  in  breadth,  and  are  of  a  red- 
dish-yellow colour,  spotted  and  patched  with  dull  red  and  faint  purple. 
They  afford  excellent  eating,  and  our  sailors  seldom  failed  to  collect  bucket- 
fuls  of  them  daily  during  our  stay  at  the  Tortugas.  The  wreckers  assured  me 
that  the  young  birds  remain  along  with  the  old  through  the  winter,  in  which 
respect  the  Noddy,  if  this  account  be  correct,  differs  from  other  species,  the 
young  of  which  keep  by  themselves  until  spring. 

At  the  approach  of  a  boat,  the  Noddies  never  flew  off  their  island,  in  the 
manner  of  the  Sooty  Terns.  They  appeared  to  go  fartlier  out  to  sea  than  those 
birds,  in  search  of  their  food,  which  consists  of  fishes  mostly  caught  amid  the 
floating  sea-weeds,  these  Terns  seizing  them,  not  by  plunging  perpendicularly 
downwards,  as  other  species  do,  but  by  skimming  close  over  the  surface  in  the 
manner  of  Gulls,  and  also  by  alighting  and  swimming  around  the  edges  of  the 
weeds.  This  I  had  abundant  opportunities  of  seeing  while  on  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico. 

The  flight  of  this  bird  greatly  resembles  that  of  the  Night  Hawk  when  passing 
over  meadows  or  rivers.  When  about  to  alight  on  the  water  the  Noddy  keeps 
its  wings  extended  upwards,  and  touches  it  first  with  its  feet.  It  swims  with, 
considerable  buoyancy  and  grace,  and  at  times  immerses  its  head  to  seize  a 
fish.  It  does  not  see  well  by  night,  and  it  is  perhaps  for  this  reason  that  it 
frequently  alights  on  the  spars  of  vessels,  where  it  sleeps  so  sound  that  the 
seamen  often  catch  them.  When  seized  in  the  hand,  it  utters  a  rough  cry, 
not  unlike  that  of  a  young  American  Crow  taken  from  the  nest.  On  such  oc- 
casions, it  does  not  disgorge  its  food,  like  the  Cayenne  Tern  and  other  species 
although  it  bites  severely  with  quickly  repeated  movements  of  the  bill,  which, 
on  missing  the  object  aimed  at,  snaps  like  that  of  our  larger  Fly-catchers.  Some 
which  I  kept  several  days  refused  all  kinds  of  food,  became  dull  and  languid, 
and  at  length  died. 

While  hovering  over  us  near  their  nests,  these  birds  emitted  a  low  querulous 
murmur,  and,  if  unmolested,  would  attempt  to  alight  on  our  heads.  After  a 
few  visits,  however,  they  became  rather  more  careful  of  themselves,  although 
the  sitting  birds  often  suffered  us  to  put  a  hat  over  them.  Like  the  Sooty  Tern, 
this  species  incubates  both  day  and  night.  The  differences  exhibited  by  Terns 
with  respect  to  their  mode  of  nestling  and  incubation,  are  great,  even  in  the 
same  neighbourhood,  and  under  the  same  degree  of  atmospheric  temperature. 
This  species  breeds  on  bushes  or  low  trees,  placing  several  nests  on  the  same 
bush,  or  in  fact  as  many  as  it  will  hold.  The  Sterna  fiiliginosa  scoops  out  a 
slight  hollow  in  thq  sand,  under  the  bushes,  without  forming  any  nest,  and  in- 


484  ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

cubates  closely  like  the  former.  The  Sandwich,  the  Cayenne,  and  the  Roseate 
Terns,  drop  their  eggs  on  the  sand  or  the  bare  rock,  and  seldom  sit  upon  them 
until  evening,  or  during  cloudy  or  rainy  weather.  The  Cayenne,  Sooty  and 
Noddy  Terns  differ  greatly  in  their  flight,  their  manner  of  feeding,  and  the 
extent  of  their  migrations.  The  tail  of  the  Noddy  is  cuneate,  instead  of  being 
forked,  in  which  respect  it  differs  essentially  from  that  of  the  other  species. 
Perhaps  the  naturalists  who  placed  it  in  the  same  genus  with  the  Roseate 
Tern  may  have  been  nodding  over  their  books. 

The  several  years  of  study  by  Watson  and  Lashley  have  added 
much  to  our  knowledge  of  this  species,  and  I  shall  take  the  liberty 
to  quote  from  them  extensively  in  order  to  render  the  picture  as 
complete  as  possible. 

Of  the  mating,  Watson  states : 

My  notes  contain  a  rather  full  account  of  a  striking  series  of  reactions 
between  two  noddies  which  I  took  to  be  a  case  of  mating  and  choice  of  nest 
site,  but  since  it  occurred  late  in  the  season  and  did  not  lead  to  a  completed 
nest,  I  advance  it  tentatively. 

One  day  I  observed  several  noddies  "  sunning "  upon  the  wire  covering  of 
one  of  my  large  experimental  cages.  Suddenly,  one  of  the  birds  (male)  began 
nodding  and  bowing  to  a  bird  standing  near  (female).  This  nodding  reaction 
is  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  ludicrous  acts  of  the  Noddy  Tern.  It  is  quite 
elaborate.  Two  birds  will  face  each  other,  one  will  then  bow  the  head  almost 
to  the  ground,  raise  it  quickly  almost  to  a  vertical  position,  and  then  quickly 
lower  it.  He  will  repeat  this  over  and  over  again  with  great  rapidity.  The 
other  bird  goes  through  a  similar  pantomime.  If  a  stranger  bird  alights  near 
the  group,  he  salutes  those  nearest,  and  is  in  turn  saluted  by  them.  During 
the  pantomime  a  sound  is  rarely  made.  The  female  gave  immediate  attention 
and  began  efforts  to  extract  fish  from  the  throat  of  the  male.  The  male  would 
first  make  efforts  to  disgorge,  then  put  the  tip  of  the  beak  almost  to  the  ground 
and  incline  it  to  the  angle  most  suitable  to  admit  her  beak.  She  would  then 
thrust  her  beak  into  his  (the  ordinary  feeding  reaction).  The  feeding  reac- 
tion was  alternated  with  the  nodding.  After  this  series  of  acts  had  been 
repeated  20  times,  the  male  flew  off  and  brought  a  stick.  He  deposited  this 
near  the  female  and  then  again  offered  to  feed  her.  She  again  tried  to  feed, 
then  the  male  attempted  sexual  relations.  She  immediately  flew  away,  but 
almost  immediately  returned  and  alighted  at  a  slightly  different  place.  The 
male  again  brought  the  stick  and  again  bowed  and  offered  to  feed  her.  She 
accepted  the  food,  but  again  flew  away  when  the  male  attempted  to  mount  her. 
At  this  juncture  the  island  was  disturbed  and  my  observations  could  not 
continue. 

The  noddy  constructs  its  nest  from  (1)  loose  dead  branches  of  the  bay 
cedar  bushes;  (2)  of  seaweed;  (3)  of  a  combination  of  these;  (4)  of  a  com- 
bination of  either  or  both  of  these  with  various  kinds  of  sea  shells  and  coral. 
"When  the  shells  and  coral  are  employed,  they  are  often  placed  as  an  inner 
lining  to  the  nest  and  the  egg  is  deposited  directly  upon  them.  The  nest  itself 
is  a  quite  variable  structure,  and  usually  loosely  put  together.  It  is  very  shal- 
low, and  this  is  rather  singular,  since  the  wind  often  blows  the  egg  or  the 
young  to  the  ground. 

The  nests  remaining  from  year  to  year  are  utilized  by  the  birds  at  succes- 
sive nesting  periods;  whether  or  not  by  the  same  pair  can  not  with  certainty 
be  answered  at  present.  On  account  of  this  utilization  of  the  old  nest  from 


BIRD   ROOKERIES  OF   TORTUGAS BARTSCH.  485 

year  to  year,  some  of  the  oldest  nests  have  grown  to  enormous  size,  due  to 
the  addition  of  new  materials  at  each  successive  season. 

Both  birds  work,  bringing  sticks,  seaweed,  shells,  and  coral.  Both  birds 
shape  the  nest  clumsily  by  pecking  and  pulling  at  the  sticks.  They  never 
weave  the  sticks  so  as  to  form  a  compact  and  durable  nest.  The  stick  is 
dropped  on  the  rim,  then  drawn  into  position.  Frequently,  first  one  bird,  then 
the  other,  sits  in  the  nest  and  shapes  it.  In  order  to  do  this  the  bird  rises  on 
its  feet  and  depresses  its  breast -and  turns  round  and  round.  The  material 
is  obtained  both  far  and  near.  Floating  sticks  and  seaweed  are  gathered 
from  the  water.  They  frequently  alight  under  the  nests  of  other  birds  and 
gather  up  the  fallen  branches.  They  even  take  the  material  from  other  nests 
which  are  left  momentarily  unguarded.  Frequently  fights  ensue.  The  birds 
work  neither  steadily  nor  rapidly;  10,  15,  20  minutes  elapse  before  either 
makes  a  trip. 

Very  often  the  nest  has  the  appearance  of  being  constructed  directly  upon 
the  ground,  but  a  closer  examination  usually  shows  that  it  has  been  built 
upon  a  tuft  of  grass  or  upon  the  stem  of  a  bush,  the  branches  of  which  have 
been  broken  off.  close  to  the  ground.  The  nearest  approach  I  found  to  the  laying 
of  the  egg  upon  the  bare  ground  was  in  the  case  of  two  nests  built  on  a  bare 
horizontal  board  lying  among  the  cactus  growth.  In  each  of  these  cases  the 
egg  was  laid  directly  upon  the  board,  but  some  dozen  or  two  small  sticks  re- 
tained the  egg  in  position.  *  *  * 

While  observing  the  noddies  at  work  upon  the  nest,  it  soon  became  apparent 
that  the  daily  routine  of  the  female  was  different  from  that  of  the  male.  From 
many  hundreds  of  observations  it  was  also  evident  that  the  male  feeds  the 
female  at  more  or  less  regular  intervals.  *  *  * 

The  male  returns  with  a  full-laden  crop.  He  alights  directly  upon  the  nest 
or  near  the  female.  The  female  at  once  shows  signs  of  life,  and  as  they  ap- 
proach each  other  they  begin  nodding.  Then  the  male  invites  the  female  to  feed 
by  putting  his  beak  down  in  a  position  convenient  to  her.  She  gets  the  food 
by  taking  it  directly  from  the  mouth  of  the  male,  the  male  disgorging  it  by 
successive  muscular  contractions  of  the  throat  and  abdomen.  The  impression 
one  gets  from  this  ludicrous  performence  is  that  the  bird  is  choking  to  death. 
During  the  whole  of  the  process  of  feeding  a  soft,  nasal,  rattling  purr  is 
emitted,  presumably  by  the  female.  This  purring  sound  is  an  invariable  indi- 
cation that  feeding  is  taking  place.  It  is  to  be  heard  on  no  other  occasion. 

After  the  egg  is  laid  a  marked  change  appears  in  the  behavior  of  both  the 
male  and  the  female.  The  birds  will  attack  even  a  human  intruder,  and 
their  defense  of  the  nest  against  their  own  kind  becomes  even  more  strict  than 
before.  Oftentimes  the  birds  will  sit  on  the  egg  and  allow  themselves  to  be 
caught,  striking  viciously  all  the  while  with  their  long,  keen,  pointed  beaks. 
Individuals  vary  greatly  in  this  respect.  On  my  daily  rounds,  as  I  approached 
the  vicinity  of  a  group  of  nests,  several  noddies  would  usually  advance  to  meet 
me,  striking  viciously  at  my  head.  Their  attacks  would  continue  until  I 
withdrew.  Many  times  I  have  had  my  hat  knocked  off  and  the  blood  brought 
from  my  scalp  by  their  vicious  attacks. 

Still  another  marked  change  occurs  in  the  habits  of  the  birds :  The  male  no 
longer  feeds  the  female.  Each  bird  takes  equal  turns  at  brooding  the  egg. 
My  attention  was  first  called  to  this  while  I  was  watching  the  habits  of  the 
birds  before  the  egg  was  laid.  Several  nests  in  the  vicinity  of  the  place  of 
observation  already  contained  eggs.  At  these  nests  I  was  never  able  to  ob- 
serve the  feeding  of  the  female  by  the  male.  At  this  period  the  two  birds  become 
practically  automata.  Their  life  is  taken  up  in  alternately  brooding  the  egg 

65133°—  SM  1917 32 


486  ANNUAL  KEPORT   SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,   1917. 

and  in  feeding.  The  birds  spend  little  or  no  time  together  except  at  night. 
The  one  comes  to  the  nest,  the  other  flies  away  to  feed. 

The  period  of  incubation  varies  for  the  noddy  from  32  to  35  days.  This  fact 
was  determined  on  the  basis  of  16  observations.  The  young  began  to  appear 
on  the  island  about  May  9  (1917). 

The  young  are  cared  for  in  the  nest  until  they  become  strong  enough  to 
leave  it  and  live  upon  the  ground.  The  young  birds  born  in  low  nests, 
even  at  a  very  early  age  (20  days  and  even  earlier),  clamber  from  them 
with  alacrity  and  hide  in  near-by  bushes  when  danger  is  imminent.  In 
many  cases  these  young  birds  can  not  get  back  to  the  nest.  Under  these 
circumstances  they  remain  near  the  nest  locality,  and  the  parents  on  returning 
first  alight  on  or  near  the  nest  and  later  hop  to  the  ground  and  feed  the  young 
bird.  *  *  * 

As  the  young  advance  in  age  (20  days  and  at  all  later  ages)  the  parent  will 
readily  leave  the  nest  when  disturbed.  The  tendency  in  this  respect  is  to  revert 
to  the  behavior  exhibited  during  the  egg-laying  season. 

Examination  of  the  stomach  contents  of  both  young  noddies  and  sooties 
showed  the  presence  of  representatives  of  the  two  families  of  fish,  Carangidae 
and  Clupeidae.  *  *  * 

The  birds  fish  by  following  schools  of  minnows  which  are  being  attacked  by 
larger  fish.  The  minnow,  in  its  efforts  to  escape,  jumps  out  of  the  water  and 
skims  the  surface  for  a  short  distance.  The  terns  pick  off  these  minnows  as 
they  hop  up  above  and  over  the  surface  of  the  water.  *  *  * 

The  birds  feed  singly  or  in  groups,  usually  in  groups.  The  group  may  bo- 
composed  of  both  noddies  and  sooties  and  may  contain  sometimes  as  mam- 
as 50  to  100  individuals.  All  during  the  day  groups  of  noodies  and  sootier 
may  be  seen  at  work.  As  the  minnows  cease  to  jump  above  the  surface  of  the 
water,  the  group  disbands  and  scatters  in  every  direction.  An  instant  later, 
as  an  attack  is  made  upon  the  minnows  in  some  other  locality,  the  birds  im- 
mediately rush  there  and  renew  their  feeding.  (See  plate  21.) 

In  this  connection  I  would  add  that  I  have  at  such  times  seen 
noddies  dive  for  their  prey  with  almost  the  same  vigor  that  the 
common  and  least  terns  engage  in  their  pursuit. 

I  will  let  Watson  continue. 

Apparently,  at  the  end  of  two  hours  the  noddy  has  supplied  its  needs,  for  at 
this  time  it  returns  to  the  island  and  relieves  its  mate  at  the  nest.  The  latter 
then  comes  out  upon  the  water  and  takes,  roughly,  a  two-hour  turn  at  fishing, 
then  likewise  returns  to  the  nest.  This  routine  of  spending  two  hours  at  the 
nest  and  two  hours  on  the  water  is  engaged  in  by  all  of  the  noddies  during  the 
seasons  of  brooding  and  of  rearing  the  young. 

Watson  and  Lashley  also  record  an  interesting  and  rather  rare 
habit. 

In  1910  we  saw  one  noddy  fly  into  the  water,  fold  its  wings,  and  begin  swim- 
ming like  a  duck.  About  10  other  noddies  joined  this  one.  This  is  the  only 
occasion  upon  which  we  have  ever  witnessed  swimmirg  movements.  We  have 
never  seen  the  sooty  in  the  water,  except  when  accident  has  overtaken  it. 

There  is  one  rather  interesting  difference  between  the  habits  of  the  noddy 
and  those  of  the  sooty  which  may  be  mentioned  here:  Every  stake,  buoy,  or 
possible  resting  place  upon  the  water  is  utilized  by  the  noddy.  It  will  sit  al- 
most motionless  upon  any  object  projecting  from  the  water  for  long  periods  of 
time.  This  habit  of  theirs  is  like  that  found  in  the  cormorants,  boobies,  and 
pelicans  which  are  present  in  the  neighborhood. 


BIRD  ROOKERIES   OF   TORTUGAS BARTSCH.  487 

Speaking  of  the  sunning1  habits  of  the  noddy,  Watson  states : 

Although  the  reaction  is  at  bottom  gregarious  *  *  *  the  birds  are  stol- 
idly indifferent  to  one  another's  presence.  They  sit  silent,  head  to  the  wind, 
elaborately  preening  their  feathers,  pecking  first  at  one  toe,  then  at  another. 
Occasionally  when  another  noddy  joins  the  group  a  mutual  nodding  is  engaged 
in  which  at  times  for  no  observable  reason  ends  in  a  fight.  The  birds  here  as 
elsewhere  are  silent.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  a  definite  distance  is, 
maintained  between  birds  engaged  in  this  activity.  The  distance  is  determined, 
I  believe,  by  the  long  diameter  of  the  body  of  the  bird — they  must  have  a  free, 
space  in  which  to  turn.  I  have  seen  10  to  12  birds  upon  the  comb  of  the  roof 
of  the  house  separated  from  one  another  by  distances  so  regular  that  the  un- 
aided eye  can  with  difficulty  distinguish  inequalities  in  the  spacing. 

At  night  the  two  birds  usually  remain  in  branches  near  the  nest,  but  if 
disturbed,  both  fly  away  for  a  short  distance  and  circle  back  almost  immedi- 
ately to  the  nest.  In  flying  at  night  both  the  noddy  and  the  sooty  break  their 
graceful  flight  into  short,  ungraceful,  and  ill-directed  choppy  swoops,  very 
similar  to  the  way  the  nighthawk  breaks  its  flight  when  flying  after  dusk. 

THE  LEAST  TERN     (Sternula  antillarum  antillarum). 

The  call  for  bird  plumage  with  which  to  decorate  feminine  hats 
bade  well  to  exterminate  this  most  diminutive  of  our  terns.  Thanks 
to  the  good  work  of  the  Audubon  Society,  enough  were  saved  to 
leave  a  remnant  for  restocking.  A  small  colony  formerly  bred  on 
the  southern  end  of  Loggerhead  Key,  but  the  persistent  efforts  of 
eggers  have  banished  the  species  from  that  island.  Last  year  (1916), 
however,  a  single  pair  reestablished  itself  here  and  our  plate  22  repre- 
sents these  individuals. 

The  southern  sandy  end  of  Long  Key  boasts  of  a  colony  of  about 
200  pairs. 

The  nest  of  the  least  tern  is  a  mere  hollow  scraped  in  the  sand  in 
which  the  two,  sometimes  three,  or  very  rarely  four  eggs  are  placed. 
Not  a  bit  of  lining  is  used,  nor  is  there  a  rim  of  shells  or  shell  frag-, 
ments  placed  about  the  edge  of  the  nest,  as  is  done  by  some  of  the 
other  terns.  The  nests  are  always  scattered,  never  crowded.  The 
eggs  harmonize  extremely  well  with  the  coloration  of  the  sand  and 
are  very  difficult  to  see,  even  at  a  distance  of  6  feet.  It  is  their 
shadow  that  usually  relieves  them  from  the  sand,  and  aids  in 
revealing  their  presence  if  you  walk  on  the  shady  side.  The  young 
birds  are  equally  well  protected  by  their  mottled  coloration,  and  the 
tiny  chaps  seem  well  aware  of  this,  for  they  will  press  themselves, 
flatly  against  the  gravel  or  shelly  beach  and  remain  perfectly  motion- 
less as  long  as  danger  threatens.  At  such  times  they  are  extremely 
difficult  to  see,  and  it  is  usually  the  dark  eye,  though  partly  closed, 
that  offers  the  greatest  contrast  and  gives  the  clue  to  the.  whereabouts, 
of  the  little  fellows.  It  is  remarkable  how  this  harmonious  coloration 
effectively  appears  to  eliminate  an  entire  colony  from  the  scene,  save 
the  flying,  piping,  and  screeching  parents.  One  may,,  for  example, 


488  ANNUAL  EEPOKT  SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION,  1917. 

pass  over  the  sand  flat  of  Long  Key  after  the  young  have  slipped 
from  their  shell,  and  not  see  a  dozen  young  birds,  but  set  up  your 
tent  on  the  breeding  grounds,  and  take  a  station  within  it,  and  you 
will  soon  see  the  parents  arrive  and  their  call  will  cause  the  little 
fellows  to  appear  on  all  sides  and  run  up  to  the  parents  to  accept  the 
dangling  minnow  from  their  bill.  They  seem  to  be  springing  from 
the  very  ground,  for  places  which  you  may  have  carefully  scrutinized 
only  a  few  moments  before  and  passed  as  sand  only,  now  yield  these 
tiny,  animated  fluffs  of  down.  A  little  later  the  young  birds  follow 
the  shore  line  of  the  beaches,  where  they  indulge  in  the  never-ending 
occupation  of  preening  the  growing  feathers,  wading,  bathing,  and 
occasionally  taking  a  swim.  If  you  surprise  them  at  such  a  time 
they  will  boldly  strike  out  from  shore  to  rapidly  place  as  much  dis- 
tance between  you  as  possible ;  after  a  wide  detour  to  the  beach,  they 
will  make  a  rapid  rush  for  the  cover  of  the  rougher  ground  or  vege- 
tation. Our  figures  show  birds  in  various  stages  of  development, 
usually  in  the  hiding  place. 

The  adult  least  tern,  so  far  as  I  know,  has  no  enemies  while  on  the 
breeding  ground.  The  eggs,  however,  and  probably  the  young  are 
destroyed  by  the  ghost  crab  (Ocypode  albicans  Bosc.)  (pi.  26).  I 
have  seen  large  members  of  this  species  sidle  up  to  the  resting  terns 
and  in  spite  of  the  vigorous  wing  beating  to  which  they  were 
subjected,  force  the  bird  from  the  place  which  it  was  occupying. 
This  persistent  annoyance  on  the  part  of  the  crab  appears  to  permit 
of  but  one  interpretation ;  that  is,  that  they  are  after  eggs  or  young 
fledglings.  I  have  twice  found  young  birds  that  had  escaped  with  a 
partially  clipped  off  wing.  One  of  these,  almost  fledged  (pi.  25), 
had  the  primary  portion  of  its  wing  clipped  off  very  recently,  for 
the  wing  was  still  bleeding  when  the  bird  was  found.  The  young 
least  terns  may  also  fall  the  prey  of  the  few  laughing  gulls  that 
frequent  the  breeding  ground  during  the  season,  and  it  is  equally 
possible  that  the  man-o'-war  birds  occasionally  stoop  for  these  tiny 
morsels. 

The  fishing  of  these  little  terns  is  a  marvelous  thing.  They  are  by 
far  the  most  active  and  quickest  members  of  the  entire  group,  a  bun- 
dle of  nervous  energy.  They  speed  over  the  shallow  lagoon  until  a 
place  is  found  where,  at  this  season,  small  fish  fry  congregate  in 
countless  numbers,  then  a  momentary  halt,  a  headlong  plunge,  a  dive 
with  sufficient  force  to  make  you  fear  for  the  safety  of  the  bird  as  he 
strikes  the  water,  but  it  is  only  a  moment,  and  he  is  back  in  the  air, 
shivers  the  water  from  his  feathery  dress,  talking,  meanwhile,  in  his 
ever-pleasant  chatty  way  as  he  heads  for  his  family  with  his  slender 
shining  prey. 

I  wish  that  you  might  spend  a  couple  of  hours  within  my  tent 
on  the  breeding  grounds  of  these  beautiful  creatures  and  watch  their 


BIRD  ROOKERIES   OF   TORTUGAS — BARTSCH.  489 

home  life;  see  the  pride  with  which  the  male  comes  with  the  food 
for  his  mate,  for  he  provides  for  her  during  the  incubation  period, 
and  note  how  coyly  she  accepts  it,  and  listen  to  the  music  of  their 
conversation,  for  the  male  apparently  begins  to  tell  about  how  he 
caught  it  the  moment  he  heads  for  shore.  At  times  you  would  be 
greatly  amused  to  see  how  he  teasingly  refuses  to  relinquish  a  choice 
shiner,  turning  it  before  her,  now  on  this  side,  then  on  the  other, 
ever  deftly  squirming  to  keep  it  from  her;  such,  and  many  other 
little  tendernesses  occasionally  observed  in  creatures  of  a  higher 
order,  are  the  order  of  the  day.  An  hour  of  watching  these  swallows 
of  the  sea  gives  one  a  feeling  of  kinship  and  materially  expands  one's 
sympathies  for  the  larger  universe. 

THE  ROSEATE  TERN  (Sterna  dougalli). 

Last  year  (1917)  a  colony  of  about  100  pairs  of  the  roseate  tern 
established  itself  on  the  rough  coral  and  shell-strewn  northeastern 
end  of  Long  Key.  During  the  time  of  my  visit,  the  last  12  days 
of  July,  no  eggs  were  found,  but  young  in  various  stages  of  develop- 
ment from  a  few  days  old  to  individuals  just  finding  their  wings. 
It  was  interesting  to  quietly  drift  up  the  shallow  bay  inclosed  in  the 
curve  of  Long  and  Bush  Key  and  on  landing  at  the  northern  end, 
make  a  rush  across  the  narrow  hurricane  rampart  that  connects  Long 
with  Bush  Key.  The  outer  shoal  of  this  rough  portion  of  the  key 
formed  the  habitat  frequented  by  the  young  birds. 

The  result  of  such  a  sudden  visit  would  be  to  put  all  of  the  adult 
birds  in  the  air  screaming  a  concerted  protest  to  the  intruder  (pi.  27), 
while  the  young  birds  would  execute  a  quick  scramble  for  shelter 
or  the  water.  In  a  few  minutes  a  raft  of  small  birds  would  be  swim- 
ming in  a  compact  body  at  some  distance  offshore  (pi.  32),  and  of 
those  remaining  on  land  not  one  would  be  in  sight.  A  careful  hunt, 
however,  would  soon  reveal  them  tucked  away  in  the  crevices  between 
the  coral  boulders,  sometimes  several  young  birds  under  a  single 
coral  head.  When  possible  they  will  crawl  completely  from  sight, 
but  if  no  cover  is  present,  they  will  content  themselves  by  merely 
hiding  their  heads,  as  shown  by  our  pictures  (pi.  29).  At  times,  too, 
they  merely  flatten  themselves  against  the  rough  ground  (pi.  30, 
fig.  A).  No  matter  what  their  position  may  be,  the  young  birds  are 
always  completely  in  harmony  with  their  surroundings;  the  colora- 
tion of  the  young  birds  is  in  perfect  accord  with  the  general  color 
scheme.  We  have  given  a  number  of  plates  shpwing  the  different 
developmental  stages  of  the  bird  and  its  plumage. 

THE  BLACK  TERN  (Chlidonias  nigra  Surinam ensis). 

During  last  summer's  visit  we  found  this  aberrantly  colored  mem- 
ber of  the  sea  swallows  present  on  Long  Key  during  my  entire  stay  at 


490  ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

the  Tortugas ;  that  is,  from  July  19  until  the  end  of  the  month.  There 
were  at  least  two  dozen  birds  varying  in  plumage  from  the  adult 
blacks  through  the  checkered  of  the  adolescent  to  the  immature  of 
the  year.  Their  occurrence  at  this  time  seems  to  almost  indicate  that 
they  might  have  bred  here,  but  I  greatly  doubt  that  this  could  have 
been  the  case,  for  we  have  no  record  of  black  terns  breeding  any- 
where nearly  as  far  south  as  this.  I  also  failed  to  find  any  signs  of 
nests,  which  I  am  sure  I  should  have  been  able  to  locate  had  they 
been  present,  for  I  am  thoroughly  familiar  with  their  nesting  habits 
in  the  North. 

THE  ROYAL  TERN   (Thalasseus  maximus). 

A  few  royal  terns  are  always  to  be  found  about  the  Tortugas 
during  the  spring  and  summer  months,  but  we  have  no  record  of  their 
breeding  here.  A  bunch  of  14  frequented  the  northern  hook  of  Log- 
gerhead Key  on  fair  days  where  they  would  preen  and  doze  for  hours 
at  a  time,  usually  during  the  warmer  parts  of  the  day,  in  which  occu- 
pation they  were  frequently  joined  by  an  even  larger  number  of 
least  terns.  Plate  37,  figure  B,  shows  the  birds  in  this  place  in  char- 
acteristic poses. 

THE  MAN-O'-WAR  BIRD  (Fregata  magniflcens  rothschildi). 

Until  the  young  noddy  and  sooty  have  slipped  from  their  shell, 
man-o'-war  birds  are  not  especially  abundant  about  the  Tortugas.  It 
is  true,  Fort  Jefferson,  some  old  stakes  and  pieces  of  wreckage  on  Bird 
Key,  and  on  the  outer  reef,  furnish  desirable  resting  places  for  them, 
and  the  abundance  of  fish  likewise  an  adequate  food  supply,  so  that 
there  may  be  a  few  more  birds  here  at  all  times  than  one  would  see 
along  the  rest  of  the  keys,  excepting,  of  course,  their  roosting  place, 
the  little  island  near  New  Found  Harbor  Key  and  Key  West,  whose 
refuse  furnishes  a  never  failing  food  supply. 

However,  when  the  young  terns  begin  to  appear  on  the  ground,  the 
man-o'-war  birds  increase  in  numbers  until  four  to  five  hundred  will 
be  found  crowding  all  the  available  wreckage  on  Bird  Key  (pi.  36) , 
where  they  augment  their  finny  diet  by  occasionally  swallowing  a 
young  tern.  I  have  seen  them  pick  up  and  fly  away  with  an  almost 
fledged  bird.  We  will,  therefore,  have  to  consider  the  man-o-Var 
bird  an  enemy  of  the  tern. 

If  you  come  to  dislike  the  man-o'-war  bird  for  his  pilfering  on 
the  tern  rookeries,  you  soon  lose  your  dislike  when  you  see  him  on 
wing,  for  there  is  no  bird  in  existence  that  equals  him  when  it  comes 
to  soaring,  a  feat  for  which  every  airman  who  sees  him  envies  him. 

Fort  Jefferson,  on  Garden  Key,  is  an  ideal  place  from  which  to 
study  his  powers  of  wing.  The  high  wall  that  circles  the  structure 
catches  the  slightest  breeze  that  may  ripple  the  sea  and  causes  the 


BIRD  ROOKERIES  OF  TORTUGAS BARTSCH.         491 

air  to  be  upthrust  on  the  windward  side,  and  upon  this  column  of  air 
the  man-o'-war  birds  will  poise  themselves  with  such  perfect  balance 
that  they  seem  fixed  to  a  certain  spot  in  the  sky.  A  hundred  or 
more  birds  at  a  time  may  be  seen  thus  hanging  motionless  suspended 
over  the  northeast  portion  of  the  fort,  low  down  when  the  wind  is 
slight,  and  high  up  when  strong,  always  in  the  place  which  suits  their 
powers  of  adjustment  best. 

Their  power  of  vision  is  likewise  marvelous.  I  recall  being  at 
work  in  a  shallow  stretch  of  water  when  a  fish  broke  above  the  sur- 
face, evidently  pursued  by  a  larger  member  of  the  finny  tribe.  A 
brown  pelican  at  once  gave  chase  and  almost  reached  him,  as  the  fish 
leaped  from  the  water  the  third  time  in  short  intervals,  but  a  man-o'- 
war  bird  that  had  been  suspended  way  up  in  the  air  so  high  as  to 
appear  a  mere  speck,  came  down  with  a  rush  and  snatched  it  almost 
from  the  very  beak  of  the  pelican.  I  have  many  times  since  enjoyed 
casting  fish  out  into  the  water  of  Key  West  Harbor  to  watch  the 
speed  with  which  man-o'-war  birds,  soaring  high  up  in  the  air,  will 
notice  them  and  stoop  to  pick  them  up  without  touching  a  feather  or 
missing  a  strike.  Our  plates  33,  34,  and  35  show  a  series  of  pictures 
giving  different  poses,  responses  to  such  baiting  in  Key  West  Harbor, 
while  plate  36  shows  the  man-o'-war  birds  on  Bird  Key. 

At  times  a  superior-winged  man-o'-war  bird  will  give  chase  to  a 
less  endoAved  individual  that  has  captured  a  fish  and  worry  him  until 
he  disgorges  it.  The  pursuing  bird  will  quickly  follow  the  falling 
fish  and  snatch  it  before  it  reaches  the  water.  The  gulls  and  boobies 
are  similarly  parasitized  by  the  man-o'-war. 

Dr.  Charles  H.  Townsend,  the  director  of  the  New  York  Aquarium, 
gives  an  interesting  brief  account  on  the  homing  of  the  man-o'-war 
bird,  from  which  the  following  quotation  is  taken: 

In  the  course  of  a  winter's  voyage  on  the  IT.  S.  S.  Albatross  in  the  South 
Seas,  the  writer  found  among  the  natives  of  the  Low  Archipelago  many  tame 
frigate  birds.  The  latter  were  observed  on  horizontal  perches  near  the  houses, 
and  were  supposed  to  be  merely  the  pets  of  the  children  who  fed  them. 

They  were  entirely  tame,  having  been  reared  in  captivity  from  the  nest.  As 
our  acquaintance  with  the  people  developed,  we  discovered  that  the  birds  were 
used  by  them  after  the  manner  of  homing  "  pigeons  "  to  carry  messages  among 
the  islands. 

The  numerous  islands  of  the  Low  Archipelago  extend  for  more  than,  a  thou- 
sand miles  in  a  northwest  and  southeast  direction,  and  it  appears  that  the 
birds  return  promptly  when  liberated  from  quite  distant  islands.  They  are 
distributed  by  being  put  aboard  small  vessels  trading  among  the  islands.  The 
birds  are  liberated  whenever  there  is  news  to  be  carried,  returning  to  their 
perches  sometimes  in  an  hour  or  less  from  islands  just  below  the  horizon  and 
out  of  sight  of  the  home  base.  Generally  they  are  in  no  great  hurry.  As  the 
food  of  the  frigate  bird  may  be  picked  up  almost  anywhere  at  sea,  there  is  no 
means  of  ascertaining  how  much  time  the  bird  loses  in  feeding  or  trying  to 
feed  en  route.  It  may  also  linger  to  enjoy  its  liberty  with  other  frigate  birds. 


492  ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

I  did  not  observe  tame  frigate  birds  elsewhere  in  Polynesia,  but  Mr.  Louis 
Becke,  who  is  familiar  with  most  of  the  South  Sea  Islands,  says  they  were  used 
as  letter  carriers  on  the  Sanioan  Islands  when  he  was  there  in  18S2,  carrying 
messages  between  islands  60  to  80  miles  apart.  When  he  lived  on  Nanomaga, 
one  of  these  islands,  he  exchanged  two  tame  frigate-birds  with  a  trader  living 
on  Nuitao,  60  miles  distant,  for  a  tame  pair  reared  on  that  island. 

The  four  birds  at  liberty  frequently  passed  from  one  island  to  the  other 
on  their  own  account,  all  going  together  on  visits  to  each  other's  homes,  where 
they  were  fed  by  the  natives  on  their  old  perches.  Mr.  Becke' s  pair  usually 
returned  to  him  within  24  to  36  hours.  He  tested  the  speed  of  the  frigate 
by  sending  one  of  his  birds  by  vessel  to  Nuitao  where  it  was  liberated  with  a 
message  at  half  past  4  in  the  afternoon.  Before  6  o'clock  of  the  same  day  the 
bird  was  back  on  its  own  perch  at  Nanoruaga,  accompanied  by  two  of  the 
Nuitao  birds,  which  not  being  at  their  perch  on  that  island  when  it  was 
liberated,  it  had  evidently  picked  up  en  route.  Sixty  miles  in  an  hour  and  a 
half  is  probably  easy  enough  for  the  frigate  bird,  as  in  Malayo-Polynesia  it  is 
said  to  have  frequently  returned  a  distance  of  60  miles  in  one  hour. 

It  becomes  entirely  tame  and  familiar  when  raised  from  the  nest,  and  if 
given  liberty  returns  regularly  to  its  home  perch  at  night. 

THE  BOOBIES  (Sulu  leucogastris)  and  (Sula  sula). 

Both  the  booby  and  the  red-footed  booby  are  found  in  the  Tortu- 
gas,  the  first  usually  predominant.  They  do  not  breed  here  at  the 
present  time,  having  probably  been  exterminated  by  the  fishermen 
and  eggers,  who  are  said  to  have  been  particularly  fond  of  the  flesh  of 
the  young  birds.  I  have  never  seen  them  on  any  of  the  islands  dur- 
ing my  six  annual  visits,  but  have  always  found  them  seated  upon 
the  top  or  crossbar  of  the  channel  stakes.  They  are  usually  quite  shy ; 
so  much  so  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  approach  them  sufficiently  close 
to  secure  a  photograph.  This  summer,  howeA'er,  we  found  a  booby 
willing  to  pose,  and  a  number  of  rather  satisfactory  pictures  were  se- 
cured, some  of  which  are  assembled  on  plate  38. 

Audubon,  in  volume  3  of  his  Ornithological  Biographies,  gives  a 
graphic  account  of  a  breeding  colony  of  boobies  on  the  Tortugas. 
From  his  description  one  is  almost  tempted  to  believe  that  in  the 
early  part  of  the  past  century  both  the  white-bellied  and  red-footed 
boobies  resorted  to  these  islands  for  housekeeping,  for  his  description 
of  Booby  Island,  probably  North  Key,  which  has  since  disappeared, 
would  fit  the  requirements  for  a  nesting  site  of  the  booby,  as  it  agrees 
well  with  the  character  of  the  nest  requirements  now  used  by  this 
species  in  Cay  Verde,  Bahamas,  the  nearest  breeding  colony.  The  de- 
scription of  the  breeding  birds  on  Noddy  Key,  probably  Bush  Key  of 
our  charts,  would  indicate  the  red-footed  booby  as  far  as  habits  are 
concerned.  The  nearest  place  where  this  species  is  known  to  breed 
at  present,  is  Cayman  Brae,  about  120  miles  off  south  central  Cuba. 

We  will  now  quote  from  Audubon's  observations  of  the  booby 
colony  at  the  Tortugas: 


BIRD  ROOKERIES   OF   TORTUGAS BARTSCH.  493 

As  the  Marion  was  nearing  the  curious  islets  of  the  Tortugas,  one  of  the  birds 
that  more  particularly  attracted  my  notice  was  of  this  species.  The  nearer  we 
approached  land,  the  more  numerous  did  they  become,  and  I  felt  delighted  with 
the  hope  that  ere  many  days  should  elapse,  I  should  have  an  opportunity  of  study- 
ing their  habits.  As  night  drew  her  somber  curtain  over  the  face  of  nature, 
some  of  these  birds  alighted  on  the  top-yard  of  our  bark,  and  I  observed  ever 
afterwards  that  they  manifested  a  propensity  to  roost  at  as  great  a  height  as 
possible  above  the  surrounding  objects,  making  choice  of  the  tops  of  bushes,  or 
even  upright  poles,  and  disputing  with  each  other  the  privilege.  The  first  th'at 
was  shot  at,  was  approached  with  considerable  difficulty ;  it  had  alighted  on  the 
prong  of  a  tree  which  had  floated  and  been  fastened  to  the  bottom  of  a  rocky 
shallow  at  some  distance  from  shore ;  the  water  was  about  four  feet  deep  and 
quite  rough ;  sharks  we  well  knew  were  abundant  around  us ;  but  the  desire  to 
procure  the  bird  was  too  strong  to  be  overcome  by  such  obstacles.  In  an  instant, 
the  pilot  and  myself  Avere  over  the  sides  of  the  boat,  and  onward  we  proceeded 
with  our  guns  cocked  and  ready.  The  yawl  was  well  manned,  and  its  crew 
awaiting  the  result.  After  we  had  struggled  through  the  turbulent  waters  about 
a  hundred  yards,  my  companion  raised  his  gun  and  fired ;  but  away  flew  the 
bird  with  a  broken  leg,  and  we  saw  no  more  of  it  that  day.  Next  day,  however, 
at  the  same  hour,  the  Booby  was  seen  perched  on  the  same  prong,  where,  after 
resting  about  three  hours,  it  made  off  to  the  open  sea,  doubtless  in  search  of  food. 

About  eight  miles  to  the  north-east  of  the  Tortugas  Lighthouse,  lies  a  small 
sand-bar  a  few  acres  in  extent,  called  Booby  Island,  on  account  of  the  number  of 
birds  of  this  species  that  resort  to  it  during  the  breeding  season,  and  to  it  we 
accordingly  went.  We  found  it  not  more  than  a  few  feet  -above  the  surface  of 
the  water,  but  covered  with  Boobies,  which  lay  basking  in  the  sunshine,  and 
pluming  themselves.  Our  attempt  to  land  on  the  island  before  the  birds  should 
fly  off,  proved  futile,  for  before  we  were  within  fifty  yards  of  it,  they  had  all 
betaken  themselves  to  flight,  and  were  dispersing  in  various  directions.  We 
landed,  however,  distributed  ourselves  in  different  parts  and  sent  the  boat  to 
some  distance,  the  pilot  assuring  us  that  the  birds  would  return.  And  so  it 
happened.  As  they  approached,  we  laid  ourselves  as  flat  as  possible  in  the  sand, 
and  although  none  of  them  alighted,  we  attained  our  object,  for  in  a  couple  of 
hours  we  procured  thirty  individuals  of  both  sexes  and  of  different  ages,  finding 
little  difficulty  in  bringing  them  down  as  they  flew  over  us  at  a  moderate  height. 
The  wounded  birds  that  fell  on  the  ground  made  immediately  for  the  water, 
moving  with  more  ease  than  I  had  expected  from  the  accounts  usually  given  of 
the  awkward  motions  of  these  birds  on  the  land.  Those  which  reached  the 
water  swam  off  with  great  buoyancy,  and  with  such  rapidity,  that  it  took  much 
rowing  to  secure  some  of  them  while  most  of  those  that  fell  directly  into  the  sea 
with  only  a  wing  broken,  escaped.  The  island  was  covered  with  dung,  the  odour 
of  which  extended  to  a  considerable  distance  leeward.  In  the  evening  of  the 
same  day  we  landed  on  another  island,  named  after  the  Noddy,  and  thickly 
covered  with  bushes  and  low  trees,  to  which  thousands  of  that  species  of  Tern 
resort  for  the  purpose  of  breeding.  There  also  we  found  a  great  number  of 
Boobies.  They  were  perched  on  the  top-branches  of  the  trees,  on  which  they  had 
nests,  and  here  again  we  obtained  as  many  as  we  desired.  They  flew  close  over 
our  heads,  eyeing  us  with  dismay  but  in  silence ;  indeed,  not  one  of  these  birds 
ever  emitted  a  cry,  except  at  the  moment  when  they  rose  from  their  perches  or 
from  the  sand.  Their  note  is  harsh  and  guttural,  somewhat  like  that  of  a 
strangled  pig.  and  resembling  the  syllables,  hork,  JiorJc. 

The  nest  of  the  Booby  is  placed  on  the  top  of  a  bush  at  a  height  of  from 
four  to  ten  feet.  It  is  large  and  flat,  formed  of  a  few  dry  sticks,  covered  and 


494  ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

matted  with  sea-weeds  in  greater  quantity.  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  return 
to  the  same  nest  many  years  in  succession,  and  repair  it  as  occasion  requires. 
In  all  the  nests  which  I  examined,  only  one  egg  was  found,  and  as  most  of  the 
birds  were  sitting,  and  some  of  the  eggs  had  the  chicks  nearly  ready  for  ex- 
clusion, it  is  probable  that  these  birds  raise  only  a  single  young  one  like  the 
Common  Gannet  or  Solan  Goose.  The  egg  is  of  a  dull  white  colour,  without 
spots,  and  about  the  size  of  that  of  a  common  hen,  but  more  elongated,  being 
2§  inches  in  length,  with  a  diameter  of  If.  In  some  nests  they  were  covered 
with  filth  from  the  parent  bird,  in  the  manner  of  the  Florida  Cormorant.  The 
young,  which  had  an  uncouth  appearance,  were  covered  with  down ;  the  bill 
and  feet  of  a  deep  livid  blue  or  indigo  colour.  On  being  touched,  they  emitted 
no  cry,  but  turned  away  their  heads  at  every  trial.  A  great  quantity  of  fish 
lay  beneath  the  trees  in  a  state  of  putrefaction,  proving  how  abundantly  the 
young  birds  were  supplied  by  their  parents.  Indeed,  while  we  were  on  Noddy 
Island,  there  was  a  constant  succession  of  birds  coming  in  from  the  sea  with 
food  for  their  young,  consisting  chiefly  of  flying-fish  and  small  mullets,  which 
they  disgorged  in  a  half  macerated  state  into  the  open  throats  of  their  offspring. 
Unfortunately  the  time  afforded  me  on  that  coast  was  not  sufficient  to  enable 
me  to  trace  the  progress  of  their  growth.  I  observed,  however,  that  none  of 
the  birds  which  were  still  brown  had  nests,  and  that  they  roosted  apart,  par- 
ticularly on  Booby  Island,  where  also  many  barren  ones  usually  resorted,  to 
lie  on  the  sand  and  bask  in  the  sun. 

The  flight  of  the  Booby  is  graceful  and  extremely  protracted.  They  pass 
swiftly  at  a  height  of  from  twenty  yards  to  a  foot  or  two  from  the  surface, 
often  following  the  troughs  of  the  waves  to  a  considerable  distance,  their 
wings  extended  at  right  angles  to  the  body ;  then,  without  any  apparent  effort, 
raising  themselves  and  allowing  the  rolling  waters  to  break  beneath  them, 
when  they  tack  about,  and  sweep  along  in  a  contrary  direction  in  search  of 
food,  much  in  the  manner  of  the  true  Petrels.  Now,  if  you  follow  an  individual, 
you  see  that  it  suddenly  stops  short,  plunges  headlong  into  the  water,  pierces 
with  its  powerful  beak  and  secures  a  fish,  emerges  again  with  inconceivable 
ease,  after  a  short  interval  rises  on  wing,  performs  a  few  wide  circlings,  and 
makes  off  toward  some  shore.  At  this  time  its  flight  is  different,  being  per- 
formed by  flappings  for  twenty  or  thirty  paces,  with  alternate  sailings  of  more 
than  double  that  space.  When  overloaded  with  food,  they  alight  on  the  water, 
where,  if  undisturbed,  they  appear  to  remain  for  hours  at  a  time,  probably 
until  digestion  has  afforded  them  relief. 

The  range  to  which  this  species  confines  itself  along  our  coast,  seldom  ex- 
tends beyond  Cape  Hatteras  to  the  eastward,  but  they  become  more  and  more 
numerous  the  farther  south  we  proceed.  They  breed  abundantly  on  all  such 
islands  or  keys  as  are  adapted  for  the  purpose,  on  the  southern  and  western 
coasts  of  the  Floridas  and  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  where  I  was  told  they  breed 
on  the  sand-bars.  Their  power  of  wing  seems  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  brave 
the  tempest,  while  during  a  continuance  of  fair  weather  they  venture  to  a  great 
distance  seaward,  and  I  have  seen  them  fully  200  miles  from  the  land. 

The  expansibility  of  the  gullet  of  this  species  enables  it  to  swallow  fishes  of 
considerable  size,  and  on  such  occasions  their  mouth  seems  to  spread  to  an  un- 
usual width.  In  the  throats  of  several  individuals  that  were  shot  as  they  were 
retiirning  to  their  nests,  I  found  mullets  measuring  seven  or  eight  inches,  that 
must  have  weighed  fully  half  a  pound.  Their  body  beneath  the  skin,  is  covered 
with  numerous  aircells,  which  probably  assist  them  in  raising  or  lowering 
themselves  while  on  wing,  and  perhaps  still  more  so  when  on  the  point  of  per- 
forming the  rapid  plunge  by  which  they  secure  their  prey. 


BIRD  ROOKERIES  OF   TORTTJGAS BARTSCH.  495 

Their  principal  enemies  during  the  breeding-season  are  the  American  Crow 
and  the  Fish  Crow,  both  of  which  destroy  their  eggs,  and  the  Turkey  Buzzard 
which  devours  their  jroung  while  yet  unfledged.  They  breed  during  the  month 
of  May,  but  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  if  they  raise  more  than  one  brood 
in  the  season.  The  adult  birds  chase  away  those  which  are  yet  immature  dur- 
ing the  period  of  incubation.  It  would  seem  that  they  take  several  years  in 
attaining  their  perfect  state. 

When  procured  alive,  they  feed  freely,  and  may  be  kept  any  length  of  time, 
provided  they  are  supplied  with  fish.  No  other  food,  however,  could  I  tempt 
them  to  swallow,  excepting  slices  of  turtle,  which  after  all  they  did  not  seem  to 
relish.  In  no  instance  did  I  observe  one  drinking.  Some  authors  have  stated 
that  the  Frigate  Pelican  and  the  Lestris  force  the  Booby  to  disgorge  its  food 
that  they  may  obtain  it ;  but  this  I  have  never  witnessed.  Like  the  Common 
Gannet,  they  may  be  secured  by  fastening  a  fish  to  a  soft  plank,  and  sinking  it  a 
few  feet  beneath  the  surface  of  the  water,  for  if  they  perceive  the  bait,  which 
they  are  likely  to  do  if  they  pass  over  it,  they  plunge  headlong  upon  it,  and 
drive  their  bill  into  the  wood. 

When  a  Booby  has  alighted  on  the  spar  of  a  vessel,  it  is  no  easy  matter  to 
catch  it,  unless  it  is  much  fatigued;  but  if  exhausted  and  asleep,  an  expert 
seaman  may  occasionally  secure  one.  I  was  informed  that  after  the  breeding 
season  these  birds  roost  on  trees  in  company  with  the  Brown  Pelican  and  a  spe- 
cies of  Tern,  Sterna  stolida,  and  spend  their  hours  of  daily  rest  on  the  sand- 
banks. Our  pilot,  who,  as  I  have  mentioned  in  my  second  volume,  was  a  man 
of  great  observation,  assured  me  that  while  at  Vera  Cruz,  he  saw  the  fishermen 
there  go  to  sea,  and  return  from  considerable  distances,  simply  by  following  the 
course  of  the  Boobies. 

The  bills  and  legs  of  those  which  I  procured  in  the  brown  plumage,  and 
which  were  from  one  to  two  years  of  age,  were  dusky  blue.  These  were  under- 
going moult  on  the  14th  of  May.  At  a  more  advanced  age,  the  parts  mentioned 
become  paler,  and  when  the  bird  has  arrived  at  maturity,  are  as  represented  in 
my  plate.  I  observed  no  external  difference  between  the  sexes  in  the  adult 
birds.  The  stomach  is  a  long  dilatable  pouch,  thin,  and  of  a  yellow  colour. 
The  body  is  muscular,  and  the  flesh,  which  is  of  a  dark  colour,  tough,  and  hav- 
ing a  disagreeable  smell,  is  scarcely  fit  for  food. 

I  am  unable  to  find  a.  good  reason  for  those  who  have  chosen  to  call  these 
birds  boobies.  Authors,  it  is  true,  generally  represent  them  as  extremely 
stupid;  but  to  me  the  word  is  utterly  inapplicable  to  any  bird  with  which  I  am 
acquainted.  The  Woodcock,  too,  is  said  to  be  stupid  as  are  many  other  birds ; 
but  my  opinion,  founded  on  pretty  extensive  observation,  is,  that  it  is  only  when 
birds  of  any  species  are  unacquainted  with  man,  that  they  manifest  that  kind 
of  ignorance  or  innocence  which  he  calls  stupidity,  and  by  which  they  suffer 
themselves  to  be  imposed  upon.  A  little  acquaintance  with  him  soon  enables 
them  to  perceive  enough  of  his  character  to  induce  them  to  keep  aloof.  This 
I  observed  in  the  Booby  Gannet,  as  well  as  in  the  Noddy  Tern,  and  in  certain 
species  of  land  birds  of  which  I  have  already  spoken.  After  my  first  visit  to 
Booby  Island  in  the  Tortugas,  the  Gannets  had  already  become  very  shy  and 
wary,  and  before  the  Marion  sailed  away  from  those  peaceful  retreats  of  the 
wandering  sea-birds,  the  BooMes  had  become  so  knowing,  that  the  most  ex- 
pert of  our  party  could  not  get  within  shot  of  them. 

The  Tortugas  are  used  as  a  stepping-stone  by  many  of  the  lesser 
migratory  birds  that  winter  in  the  West  Indies  and  even  farther 
south.  In  the  northward  journey  in  spring  and  the  southward  flight 


493  ANNUAL  EEPOET  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 

in  autumn,  these  birds  rest  here  for  a  varying  length  of  time  before 
continuing  their  travels.  These  migratory  land  birds  always  show 
the  effect  of  their  stay  on  these  keys,  for  most  of  them  look  entirely 
different  from  the  trim  little  creatures  which  we  are  accustomed  to 
see  on  the  mainland.  The  little  warblers  and  even  the  bobolinks 
are  all  fluffed  up  and  ragged  and  their  appearance  and  motion  sug- 
gest "  the  dim  gray  dawn  of  the  morning  after,"  the  after  effect  of  a 
"  night  out."  They  are  lacking  in  shyness  and  appear  quite  as  care- 
less about  their  safety  as  they  do  about  their  appearance. 

The  eagerness  with  which  they  take  to  a  pan  of  fresh  water  or  the 
dripping  of  a  leaky  storage  tank  leads  me  to  believe  that  it  is  the 
want  of  fresh  water  that  is  responsible  for  this  change  of  habit. 
The  only  regular  supply  of  fresh  water  that  these  birds  can  obtain 
on  any  of  the  keys  are  the  droplets  of  dew  in  the  early  morning 
hours  and  that  furnished  by  an  occasional  shower.  This,  then, 
means  a  full  drink  and  bath  in  the  early  morning  and  a  long  thirst 
through  the  rest  of  the  hot  day.  The  bathing  is  rather  an  interest- 
ing function  under  these  circumstances.  A  bird  will  rest  on  a  clump 
of  'sparkling  leaflets,  beating  his  wings  against  them  and  thereby  ac- 
cumulating sufficient  moisture  in  the  course  of  time  to  become  thor- 
oughly washed.  The  vireos  and  flycatchers  plunge  against  the  moist 
foliage,  while  the  swallows  merely  graze  it  as  they  pass  by. 

Xo  small  land  birds  breed  upon  the  Tortugas,  and  it  has  been  held 
that  the  lack  of  fresh  water  is  responsible  for  this.  This  explana- 
tion alone  does  not  appeal  to  me,  for  I  know  of  no  exposed  fresh 
water  upon  any  of  the  keys  between  Miami  and  the  Tortugas,  and 
yet  most  of  them  support  several  or  more  species  of  breeding  land 
birds.  It  seems  more  likely  that  the  character  of  the  vegetation  and 
its  associated  insect  fauna  is  more  to  their  liking  on  some  of  the  other 
keys,  for  the  predominant  floral  element  in  the  Tortugas  is  bay  cedar, 
a  plant  that  forms  a  scarcely  notable  feature  in  the  key  flora  farther 
north. 

Believing  that  a  list  of  all  the  birds  so  far  reported  from  the  Tor- 
tugas will  not  be  without  interest  to  the  reader,  I  will  close  this 
article  with  it. 

In  preparing  this  list  I  have  consulted  the  registers  in  the  division 
of  birds  of  the  United  States  National  Museum  to  see  what  speci- 
mens the  national  collection  contains  from  the  Tortugas.  Here  I 
found  quite  a  large  series  of  early  records  made  between  1857  and 
1864,  which  appear  in  the  following  list  in  the  columns  headed  by 
these  numbers. 

The  1857  column  represents  birds  collected  by  G.  Wiirdemann 
while  connected  with  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey. 

The  1859  column  represents  specimens  collected  by  Capt.  D.  P. 
Woodbury. 


BIRD  ROOKERIES  OP   TORTTJGAS BARTSCH. 


497 


The  1859-60  column  shows  specimens  collected  by  Dr.  J.  B.  Holder, 
while  the  1860  and  1864  columns  refer  to  additional  lots  of  birds 
donated  by  Capt.  D.  P.  Woodbury. 

In  the  1859  column  the  *  followed  by  a  1  refers  to  a  specimen 
donated  by  Jos.  C.  Clapp,  while  the  one  in  the  1860  column  marked 
*  *  denotes  a  specimen  donated  by  Geo.  Phillips. 

The  remaining  columns  refer  to  published  records  from  the  Tor- 
tugas.  These  are: 

The  sixth  column  includes  the  birds  observed  during  parts  of 
March  and  April,  1890,  by  W.  E.  D.  Scott,  as  reported  in  the  "  Auk," 
vol.  VII,  no.  4,  pp.  301-314,  1890.  The  records  of  1913,  1914,  1915, 
1916,  and  1917  were  made  by  the  author,  and  were  published  as  fol- 
lows: 

1913.  Yearbook  No.  12,  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington,  pp. 
172-175,  "  Birds  observed  on  the  Florida  Keys  on  April  25  to  May  9, 
1913." 

1914.  Yearbook  No.  13,  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington,  pp. 
192-195,  "  Birds  observed  on  the  Florida  keys  from  April  20  to  April 
30,  1915." 

1915.  Yearbook  No.  14,  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington,  pp. 
197-199,  "  Birds  observed  on  the  Florida  Keys  and  along  the  railroad 
of  the  mainland  from  Key  Largo  to  Miami,  June  17  to  July  1, 1915." 

1916.  Yearbook  No.  15,  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington,  pp. 
182-188,  "  Birds  observed  in  1916  in  the  region  of  Miami  and  the 
Florida  Keys  from  May  15  to  June  4,  and  along  the  railroad  from 
Key  West  to  Miami  on  June  24." 

1916.  Yearbook  No.  15,  Carnegie  Institution  of  Washington,  pp. 
170-173,  "  Fifth  annual  list  of  birds  observed  on  the  Florida  Keys 
(1917)." 

An  asterisk  indicates  that  the  bird  was  observed  in  that  year. 

The  gull-billed  tern  is  reported  under  the  name  Sterna  nuttalli  by 
Nuttall  in  his  Manual  of  Ornithology  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  Water  Birds  page  279,  1834,  from  the  Tortugas. 


Herring  gull  (Lams  argentatus) 

Laughing  gull  (Larus  atricilla  megalopterus) — 

Gull-billed  tern  (Gdochelidon  nilotica) 

R oyal  tern  (  ThaJassetLS  maiimus) 

Cabot's  tern  (Sterna  sandvicensis  acuflavida) 

Roseate  tern  (Sterna  dougaMi) 

Least  tern  (Sternula  antillarum  antillarvfm')  — 

Sooty  tern  (Onychoprionfuscatus) 

Black  tern  ( Chlidonias  nigra  surinamensis) 


1860  1864  1890  1913  1914  1915  1916  1917 


498 


ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 


Noddy  tern  (Anous  stolidus  stolidus) 

Black  skimmer  (Rynchops  nigra) 

Bocby  (Sula  leucogastris) 

Red-footed  booby  (Sulasula) 

Gannet  (Sula  bassana') 

AnMnga  (Arihinga  anhinga") 

Florida  connorant(PftaZocrocorax  auritus  floridanus) . . . 

Brown  pelican  (Pelecanus  occidentalis) 

Man-o'-war  bird  ( Fregata  magnificens  rothschildi) 

Mallard  (Anas  platyrhynchos) 

Snow  goose  ( Chen  hyperboreus  hyperboreus~) 

Blue  goose  ( Chen  caerulescens) 

Glossy  ibis  (Plegadis  autumnalis) 

American  bittern  (Botaurus  lentiginosus) 

Ward's  heron  (Ardea  herodias  wardi) 

American  egret  (Herodias  egretta) 

Snowy  egret  ( Egretta  candidissima  candidissima) 

Reddish  egret  (Dichromanassa  rufescens) 

Louisiana  heron  (Hydranassa  tricolor  ruficollis) 

Little  blue  heron  ( Florida  caerulea  caerulea) 

Green  heron  (Butorides  virescens  virescens) 

Black-crowned    night    heron    (Nycticoraxnycticorax 

naevius) 

Yellow-crowned  night  heron  (Nyctanassa  violacea) 

Limpkin  (Aramus  vociferus) 

Virginia  rail  (Rallus  virginianus) 

Sora  rail  (Porzana  Carolina') 

Black  rail  ( Creciscus  jamaicensis) 

Purple  gallinule  (lonornis  martinicus) 

Florida  gallinule  (Gallinula  chloropus  cachinnans') 

Wilson's  snipe  (Oallinago  delicata) 

Least  sandpiper  (Pisobia  minutilla) 

Semipalmated  sandpiper  (Ereunetes  putillus) 

Sanderling(C'aZt(ima76a) 

Willet  (Catoptrophorus  semipalmatus  semipalmatus).. . 

Upland  plover  (Bartramia  longicauda) 

Spotted  sandpiper  (Actitis  macuUria) 

Black-bellied  plover  (Squatarola  squatarola) 

Semipalmated  plover  (Charadrius  semipalmatus) 

Belted  piping  plover  (Charadrius melodus) 

Wilson's  plover  (Pagolla  wilsonia  wiUonia) 

Ruddy  turnstone  (Arenaria  interpret  morineUa) 

White-headed  dove  (Patagianas  leucocephala) 

Ground  dove  (Chssmepelia passerina  passerina) 

Turkey  vulture  (Cathartes  aura  septentrionalis) 

Marsh  hawk  (Circus  cyaneug  hudsonius) 

Sharp-shinned  hawk  (Accipiter  vclox) 

Florida  red-shouldered  hawk  (Buteo  lineatus  atteni).. . 
Broad-winged  hawk  (Buteo  platypterus  platypterus). . . 

Duck  hawk  (Rhynchodvn  peregrinus  anatum) 

Pigeon  hawk  (Tinnunculus  columbarius  columbarius) . 

Little  sparrow  hawk  (Cerchneis  sparveria  paula) 

Osprey  (Pandion  haliaetus  carolinensis) 

A  ni  ( Crotophaga  ani) 

Yellow-billed  cuckoo  ( Coccyzus  americanus  americanus) . 
Black-billed  cuckoo  (Coccyzus  erythropthalmus) 


.915  1916J1917 

— —  L 


BIED   ROOKERIES    OF    TORTUGAS BARTSCH. 


499 


Belted  kingfisher  (Streptoceryle  alcyon  alcyon) 

Ivory-billed  woodpecker  (Campephilus  principals) 

Yellow-bellied  sapsucker  (Sphyrapicus  varius  varius). . . 

Chuck-will's-wldow  (Antrostomus  carolinensis) 

Xight  hawk  (Chordeiles  minor  minor) 

Night  hawk  (subspecies)  (.Chordeiles  minor  chapmant)?. 

Ruby-throated  hummer  (A  rchilochus  colubris) 

Kingbird  (Tyrannus  tyrannus) 

Gray  kingbird  (Tyrannus  dominicensis  dominicensis) . . . 

Phoebe  (Sayornis  phoebe) 

Wood  pewee  (  Myiochanes  virens) 

Florida  crow  (Corvus  brachyrhynchos  pascuus) 

Bobolink  (Dolichonyx  oryziaorus) 

Bahama  red-wkiged  blackbird  (Agelaius  phceniceus 

bryanti) 

Orchard  oriole  (Icterus  spurius) 

Baltimore  oriole  (Icterus  galbula) 

Goldfinch  (Astragalinus  trististristis) 

Savanna  sparrow  (Passer  culussandwichensis savanna).. 
Grasshopper  sparrow  (Ammodramus  savannarum  aus- 

tralis) 

Rose-breasted  grosbeak  (Zamelodia  ludoviciana) 

Scarlet  tanager  (Piranga  erythromelas) 

Summer  tanager  (Piranga  rubra,  rubra) , 

Cuban  cliff  swallow  (Petrochelidonfulvafulva) 

Barn  swallow  (Hirundo  rustica  erythrogastris) 

White-bellied  swallow  (Iridoprocne  bicolor) 

Bahaman  swallow  (Callichelidon  cyaneoviridis) 

Cedarbird  (Bombycilla  cedrorum) 

Black-whiskered  vireo  ( Vireosylvacalidrisbarbatula).. . 

Red-eyed  vireo  (  Vireosylva,  olivacea) 

Yellow-throated  vireo  (Lanivireo  flavifrom) 

White-eyed  vh-eo  (  Vireo  griseus  griseus) 

Black  and  white  creeping  warbler  ( MniotUta  varia) . . . 

Prothonotary  warbler  (Protonotaria  citrea) 

Swainson's  warbler  (Limnothlypis  swainsonii) 

Worm-eating  warbler  (Helmitherus  vermivorus) 

Bachman's  warbler  (  Vermivora  bachmani) 

Blue-wuiged  warbler  ( Vermivora  pinus) 

Parula  warbler  (Compsothlypis  americana  amerieana) . 

Cape  May  warbler  (Dendroica  tigrina) 

Black-throated  blue  warbler  (Dendroica  caerulcscens 

caerulescens) '. 

Myrtle  warbler  Dendroica  caronata) 

Magnolia  warbler  (Dendroica  magnolia) 

Cerulean  warbler  (Dendroica  cerulea) 

Black-poll  warblor  (Dendroica  striata) 

Blackburnian  warbler  (Dendroica fusca) 

Yellow-throated  warbler  (Dendroicadominicadominica) 

Sycamore  warbler  (Dendroica  dominica  albilora) 

Black-throated  green  warbler  (Dendroica  virens) 

Pine  warbler  (Dendroica  vigorsi) 

Palm  warbler  (Dendroica  palm-arum  palmarum) 

Yellow-palm  warbler  (Dendroica  palmarum  hypochry- 

sea] 

Prairie  warbler  (Dendroic-a  discolor) 


857 1859,^"  86018641890   913   9141915   9161917 


500 


ANNUAL  REPORT  SMITHSONIAN   INSTITUTION,  1917. 


1857 

1859 

185&- 
1860 

1S(K) 

181.4 

1890 

1013 

1914 

1915 

1016 

1917 

( 

( 

^ 

, 

* 

* 

GrinnelTs  water  thrush  (Seiunu  noveboracemis  notabi- 
lig)      ....            

* 

* 

„, 

Maryland  yellow-throat  (Geothlypis  trichas  trichas)  .  .  . 

* 

* 

* 

* 

^ 

* 

Redstart  (Setophagaruticilla) 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

Catbird  (Lucar  carolinensis)      

^ 

* 

* 

^ 

% 

Olive-backed  thrush  (Hylocichla  ustulata  swainsoni) 

* 

Bluebird  (Sialia  sialis  sialis) 

* 

NOTE. — Wherever  the  term  Common  Tern  (Sterna  hirundo)  appears  on  the 
following  plates,  the  name  Roseate  Tern  (Sterna  dougalli)  should  be  sub- 
stituted. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  3. 


CHARACTERISTIC  TERN  ACTIVITIES  ON  BIRD  KEY. 

A,  looks  northeast;  B,  southwest  from  center  of  island. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  4. 


A.  GENERAL  VIEW  LOOKING  NORTHWEST  FROM  CENTER  OF  BIRD  KEY.  B. 
SOOTY  TERNS  RESTING  UPON  TOPS  OF  BAY  CEDARS.  A  RATHER  UNCOMMON 
PRACTICE. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917.- — Bartsch. 


PLATE  5. 


OPEN  GROUNDS  NORTHWEST  OF  THE  HOUSE  ON  BIRD  KEY,  SHOWING  CLOSE 
DISTRIBUTION  OF  SOOTIES  AND  THEIR  YOUNG. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  6. 


BIRD  KEY  LOOKING  NORTHWARD  FROM  THE  HOUSE.  SHOWING  GENERAL 
DISPOSITION  OF  SOOTY  TERNS  IN  OPEN  REACHES. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  8. 


FIVE  EGGS  OF  THE  SOOTY  TERN,  SHOWING  RANGE  OF  VARIATION  IN  MARKINGS. 

Natural  size. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  9. 


THREE  YOUNG  SOOTY  TERNS  SHOWING  DEVELOPMENTAL  STAGES. 

A,  about  1  week  old;  B,  more  than  1  month  old;  C,  about  25  days  old. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  10. 


& 


.fci&T1* 


r'y 

•  *     '4 


YOUNG  SOOTY  TERNS. 

A.    Bird  old  enough  to  try  its  wings.    B.    Bird  just  prior  to  beginning  to  fly. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  II. 


A.  GROUP  OF  ADULT  SOOTY  AND  NODDY  TERNS  SUNNING  THEMSELVES  ON  THE 
BEACH.  B.  OLD  AND  YOUNG  OF  BOTH  THE  SOOTY  AND  NODDY  TERN  ENJOYING 
A  SUN  BATH  ON  THE  GLARING.  HOT,  WHITE  SAND. 


Smithsonian  Report.  1917.— Bartsch. 


PLATE  12. 


INSTANTANEOUS  PICTURES  SHOWING  POSES  ASSUMED  BY  SOOTY  TERNS  ON 
WING. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  15. 


NEAR  VIEW  OF  Two  NODDIES  ON  THEIR  NESTS. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  16. 


NODDY  TERNS  ABOUT  THEIR  NESTS,  SHOWING  CHARACTERISTIC  ATTITUDES. 
THE  YOUNG  BIRD  IN  THE  MIDDLE  PICTURE  is  ALMOST  READY  TO  FLY. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  17. 


EGGS  OF  THE  NODDY  TERN  SHOWING  RANGE  OF  VARIATION  IN  MARKINGS. 

Natural  size. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  18. 


A,  YOUNG  NODDY,  PROBABLY  A  WEEK  OLD;  B,  BIRD  APPROXIMATELY  18  DAYS 

OLD. 

Note  development  that  has  taken  place  in  the  interim. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  19. 


A,  NODDY  ABOUT  22  DAYS  OLD;  B,  NODDY  ABOUT 

Note  progress  made  in  growth  and  feathering. 


DAYS  OLD. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  20. 


A.  NODDY  TERN  ABOUT  40  DAYS  OLD;  B,  ADULT  BIRD. 

Note  difference  between  fledged  bird  and  parent  at  the  time  the  young  begin  to  fly. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  21. 


GROUP  OF  NODDY  TERNS  FISHING;  FOLLOWING  A  SCHOOL  OF  JUMPING  MINNOWS. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  22. 


A  LEAST  TERN,  HER  NEST  AND  EGGS.  SOUTH  END  OF  LOGGERHEAD  KEY,  I9I6. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  23. 


THREE  YOUNG  LEAST  TERNS  FROM  COLONY  ON 

SHOWING  DEVELOPMENTAL  STAGES  AND  PROTECTIVE 


KEY' 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  24. 


Two  VIEWS  OF  YOUNG  LEAST  TERNS  ILLUSTRATING  PROTECTIVE 
COLORATION. 

In  the  upper  picture  the  bird  is  flattened  against  fl  otsam  of  the  high  tide  line.     The  eye,  a  little  to  the 
left  of  the  median  line,  will  give  a  cue  to  the  rest  of  the  body. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  25. 


YOUNG  LEAST  TERNS. 

A,  Able  to  fly  for  a  short  distance;  B,  with  wing  clipped  off  by  ghost  crab. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  26. 


GHOST  CRAB  (OCYPODE  ALBICANS  Bosc),  ONE  OF  THE  DESTRUCTIVE  AGENCIES  ON 
THE  TERN  ROOKERIES. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  28. 


YOUNG  COMMON  TERNS.   A.  ABOUT  5  DAYS  OLD;  B,  ABOUT  10  DAYS  OLD. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  29. 


A.  Two  YOUNG  COMMON  TERNS  HIDING  UNDER  A  DEAD  CORAL  BLOCK. 
THE  SAME  BIRDS  WITH  THE  BLOCK  REMOVED. 

They  are  probably  8  and  12  days  old,  respectively. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  30. 


YOUNG  COMMON  TERNS.   A,  ABOUT  2  WEEKS  OLD;  B.  ABOUT  3  WEEKS  OLD. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartscli. 


PLATE  31. 


YOUNG  COMMON  TERNS.   A,  ABOUT  28  DAYS  OLD;  B,  ALMOST  READY  TO  FLY. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Eartsch. 


PLATE  32. 


A.  YOUNG  COMMON  TERNS  SWIMMING  OFF  SHORE.    B.  YOUNG  BIRD  SWIMMING 
AWAY  FROM  SHORE. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917.  —  Bartsch. 


PLATE  33 


MAN-O--WAR  BIRDS  HUNTING  IN  KEY  WEST  HARBOR. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


\ 


PLATE  34. 


/*\ 

WP 


INSTANTANEOUS    PHOTOGRAPHS   SHOWING   CHARACTERISTIC    POSES   OF   THE 
MAN-O'-WAR  BIRD  ON  WING,  KEY  WEST  HARBOR. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE 


MAN-O--WAR  BIRDS  FISHING  IN  KEY  WEST  HARBOR. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  36. 


SHORE  LINE  OF  BIRD  KEY.  SHOWING  GREAT  NUMBER  OF  MAN-O'-WAR  BIRDS. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  37. 


A.     PAIR  OF  LAUGHING  GULLS  ON  THE  NORTHEAST  END  OF  LONG  KEY.     B. 
ROYAL  TERNS  SUNNING  ON  THE  SANDSPIT,  NORTH  END  OF  LOGGERHEAD  KEY. 


Smithsonian  Report,  1917. — Bartsch. 


PLATE  38. 


-- 

'  %  • 


F  •  1 


BOOBYS  PHOTOGRAPHED  OFF  BIRD  KEY,  TORTUGAS. 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    000857354    5 


